
Class _Efl~3-Q 

Book X?__ 

Copyright If 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 




Yours in Jesus Christ, 



L H 7^f^J^ 



THE LIFE SUPREME 



BEING THE REAL AND TRUE BIOGRAPHY 



OF 



JESUS CHRIST 



BY 
U H. KOEPSEL. 



PARSONS, KANSAS: 
THE FOLEY RAILWAY PRINTING COMPANY. 

1904. 



LIBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two Copies Received 

DEC 22 I9U4 

Copyngni tntry 
CLASS Q~s XXc No: 

COPY B. 

L— — , 






Copyrighted, 1904, 
By L. H. KOEPSEL. 



PREFACE 



There has been but One Supreme Character who lived a 
Perfect life on the Earth, JESUS the CHRIST. He is the 
only perfect pattern as the ideal for others. Whoever takes 
His life as a model will ever possess the happiness so much 
the desire of the heart. 

The purpose of this volume is to present that Life in 
Chronological order, in so far as that is possible, using only the 
very words of Scripture. The Author has made a diligent 
comparison of the English translations, the German likewise, 
with the Greek, and has used what to him appeared to be the 
best translation, being especially indebted to the Twentieth 
Century Testament among the more recent ones, yet com- 
pelled very frequently to make his own, since he sought not 
word but thought translation. Though some years have been 
given over to the work, yet there is no boast made of perfec- 
tion. There is only One who is Perfect. 

The causes that led to the making of this biography were 
many. Some are the following:— 

However much any author may attempt to be impartial, 
yet the Life of Jesus written by him will be but his interpre- 
tation of it. The subjective element will assert itself. It re- 
mains, hence, a fact that none of the lives written are as per- 
fect as desired. Again the most of them are long, so that 
many busy people cannot study them. They likewise embrace 
matter not vitally connected with the Life of Jesus and thus 
in a measure detract from the real thought. 

As to the Gospels, none of them purpose to give the Life 
of Jesus in its completeness. Each writer had an object in 
view, and as a result used only those teachings or incidents 



8 PREFACE. 

which appeal to his readers. In a very short setting the Gos- 
pels can be summed as follows: — Matthew wrote as a Jew to 
prove to the Jews, who were looking for the fulfillment of 
Prophecy, that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah of Moses, 
the Psalms, and the Prophets. Mark, a Eoman, wrote 
to the Romans, who cared nothing for ancestry or prediction 
but who gloried in Power, to prove that Jesus of Nazareth 
was the Supreme King. Luke wrote to his own kin, the 
Greeks, whose aim was to attain to the perfect in whatever 
special line the individual embarked or their separate nations 
undertook; such as laws for the nation, or in the individual 
who strives for mastery as Poet, Historian, Orator, Philosopher, 
Architect, or Sculptor, to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the 
one Perfect man. John as a matured Christian, wrote to the 
Christians, holding up the fact that Jesus of Nazareth, was 
the Divine Man, and as a consequence the SAVIOR of the 
World. It will thus be seen that each omitted many things 
that the others would need to mention. 

The Author of this book has combined the four Gospels 
and a few points from the Acts of the Apostles and one 
Epistle of Paul so that it is a complete Life from the stand- 
point of the inspired writers. It is thus hoped that the volume 
will fill a long felt want, i. e. a complete biography of Jesus 
in the actual words of the Gospels. 

It is sent forth in the belief that Jesus the Christ will 
bless it, and in the hope that many souls that now sit in dark- 
ness or doubt, will have the Light of the World shining in 
them always, as the result of its study; thus cultivating a noble, 
pure, and holy character to be manifested in Life as was that 
of our Savior. 

THE AUTHOR. 



DEDICATION. 
TO THEOPHILUS, 

WHO MOST EXCELS. 

Many attempts have been already made to 
draw up an account of those matters that are ac- 
cepted as true among us, exactly as they have been 
handed down to us by those who from the very first 
were eyewitnesses, and afterwards became bearers 
of the Message. I also, therefore, having inves- 
tigated all these matters with great care from the 
beginning, have resolved to write a connected 
history of them for you. In this way you will be 
able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the 
story you have heard from the lips of others. 



INTRODUCTION. 



* At the beginning the Word already was; 

The Word was with God; 
And the Word was God. 

He was with God at the Beginning; 

It was through Him that everything began, 

And not a single thing begaa apart from Him. 

That which began in Him was Life itself; 

That Life was the Light of mankind; 

And the Light has been shining in the darkness, 

And the darkness has never overpowered it. 

There appeared, with a message from God, a man whose 

name was John; 
He came to bear testimony— to testify to the Light. 
That every one, through him, might come to believe in 

Him. 
Not that he was the Light, 
But his part was to testify to the Light. 

That was the true Light, which enlightens every man on 

his coming into the World. 
He was already in the World; 
Through Him the World began, 
Yet the World did not recognize Him. 

* All passages in italics are either acknowledged or unacknowl- 
edged quotations from the Old Testament, 



12 INTRODUCTION. 

He came to what was His own, 

Yet those who were His own did not receive Him; 

But to all who did He gave the right to become children 

of God- 
To those who believe in Him. 
It was not to natural conception, nor to human 

instinct, nor to any man's choice, 
But to God Himself, that they owed thi3 Life. 

The Word then became man, and made a home among us, 
(We saw the honor given Him— such honor as an only 

son receives from his father.) 
And He abounded in mercy and truth; 
{John himself bears testimony to Him; he cried— for 

the words were his — 
The One who was to come after me is in advance of me, 
For He was already before me'). 

Indeed, out of His abundance we have every one received, 

a share, 
Yes, mercy upon mercy ; 
For, while the Law was given through Moses, 
Mercy and truth came through JESUS CHRIST. 
No one has ever seen GOD; 

God, the only SON, who is ever close to the Father's heart — 
It is He who made Him known. 



DIVISION I 



Parentage, Birth, Infancy and Boyhood 



CHAPTER I. 



1. Zechariah and In the reign of Herod, King 

Elizabeth of Judea, there lived a priest 

of the Division called after 
Abijah, whose name was Zechariah. His wife, 
who was named Elizabeth, was also a descendant 
of Aaron. They were both God-fearing people, 
who lived irreproachable lives in conformity to all 
the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 
They had no children, Elizabeth being barren; 
and both of them were advanced in years. 

2. The Baptist's On one occasion, when Zech- 
Birth Foretold ariah was officiating as 

priest before God during the 
turn of his Division, it fell to him by lot, in ac- 
cordance with the practice among the priests, to 
go into the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. 
It being the Hour of Incense, the people were all 
praying outside. While he was there, an angel of 



14 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right 
of the Altar of Incense. Zechariah was startled 
at the sight, and was overcome with fear. But 
the angel said to him : 

"Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has 
been heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear a 
son, whom you are to call by the name of 'John.' 
He will be a source of joy and delight to you, and 
many others also will rejoice over his birth. For 
he will be a great man in the sight of the Lord; 
he will not drink any ivine or strong drink and he 
will be filled with the Holy Spirit from the very 
hour of his birth, and will win many Israelites 
back to the Lord their God. He will precede 
Him in the spirit and the power of Elijah, so as to 
reconcile fathers to their children, and bring back 
the disobedient to the ways of good men, and so 
make ready for the Lord a people prepared for 
Him." 

"How can I be sure of this? " Zechariah asked 
the angel, "for I am an old man myself, and my 
wife, too, is advanced in years. " 

"I am Gabriel," the angel answered, "and my 
station is in the presence of God; I have been 
sent to you to speak to you and to bring you this 
good news. Listen! you will be silenced and un- 
able to speak until the day when this takes place, 
because you have not believed what I have said, 
though my words will be fulfilled at the proper 
time." 

All this time the people were watching for 
Zechariah, wondering at his remaining so long in 
the Temple. When he came out he was unable to 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 15 

speak to them, and they felt sure that he had seen 
a vision there. Meanwhile Zechariah kept mak- 
ing signs to them, and continued dumb. As soon 
as his term of service was finished, he returned 
home. 

3. Elizabeth's Shortly after this, his wife, 
Happiness Elizabeth, expecting to be- 
come a mother, remained in 

seclusion for five months. 

"This is what the Lord has done for me, " she 
said, "now that He has condescended to take 
away the reproach under which I have been 
living. " 

4. Announcement When the sixth month came, 
of the Future the angel Gabriel was sent 

Birth of JESUS from God to a town in Gali- 
lee called Nazareth, to a 
maiden there who was engaged to be married to 
a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her 
name was Mary. Gabriel came into her presence, 
and greeting her, said: 
"You are highly favored; the Lord is with you. " 

Mary was greatly startled at his words, 
and was wondering to herself what such a greet- 
ing could mean, when the angel spoke again: 

"Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found 
favor with God. Listen! you will become a 
mother and will give birth to a son, whom you 
are to call by the name of 'JESUS.' The child 
will become great and will be called 'SON of the 
MOST HIGH' and the Lord will give him the 
throne of his ancestor David, and he will be king 



16 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

over the descendants of Jacob forever. To his 
kingdom there will be no end. ' ' 

"How can this be," Mary asked of the angel; 
"for I am unmarried? " 

"The Holy Spirit will come to you," the 
angel replied, ' 'and the Power of the Most High 
will envelop you; and therefore it is that your 
child will be called 'Holy' and 'Son of God.' Yes, 
and your relation, Elizabeth, is herself also ex- 
pecting a son in her old age; indeed it is now her 
sixth month, though she used to be called barren. 
For not one ivord of God ivill prove powerless." 

"In this I am the servant of the Lord," said 
Mary; "let it be with me as you say." 
Then the angel left her. 

5. Mary's Visit Soon after this, Mary set out 
to Elizabeth and hurriedly made her way 
into the hill country to a town 
in Judah ; and there she went into Zechariah's 
house and greeted Elizabeth. As soon as Eliza- 
beth heard Mary's greeting, the child moved 
within her, and Elizabeth herself was filled with 
the Holy Ghost, and cried out loudly, and said 
"Blessed indeed are you among women, # and 
blessed, too, your unborn child ! And how have I 
this honor, that the mother of my Master has 
come to one like me? Why, as soon as your greet- 
ing reached my ears, the child moved within me 
with delight ! Happy is she indeed who believed 
that the promise she received from the Lord would 
be actually fulfilled. " 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 17 

Then Mary said : 

" My soul extols the Lord, 

My spirit exults in God my Savior ; 

For He has remembered His servant in her lowliness ; 

And from this hour all ages will count me happy! 

Great things has the Almighty done for me; 

And holy is His name. 

Age after age He shows His mercy 

To those that reverence Him. 

Great are the deeds of His arm ; 
He confounds the headstrong with their own device, 
He dethrones Princes, and exalts the lowly, 
The hungry He loads with gifts and the rich He sends 
empty-handed away. 

He has stretched out His hand to His servant Israel, 

Not forgetful of mercy, 

As He promised to our forefathers — 

Mercy for Abraham and his race forever." 

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three 
months and then returned to her own home. 



CHAPTER II. 



1. Joseph's Before the marriage of Mary 
Dream to Joseph took place she was 

found to be with child — by the 
power of the Holy Spirit. Her intended husband, Jo- 
seph, was a good man and being unwilling to make 
an example of her, wished to break off his engage- 
ment with her privately. He had been thinking 
of doing this when an angel of the Lord appeared 
to him in a dream. 

" Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do- 

(2) 



18 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

not be afraid to take Mary for your wife, for her 
unborn child has been conceived by the power of 
the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son : 
and you shall give him the name, Jesus, for he 
it is who will save his people from their sins." 
All this happened in fulfillment of these words of 
the Lord by the Prophet — 

1 Behold ! the virgin will be with child and give 
birth to a son, 

And they will give him the name of ImmanueV 
— a word which means 'God is with us.' When 
Joseph awoke from his sleep, he did as the 
angel of the Lord had directed him. He made 
Mary his wife but did not live with her as her 
husband until after the birth of her son, to whom 
he gave the name, Jesus. 

2. Birth and When her time came Elizabeth 
Naming of gave birth to a son ; and the 
The Baptist neighbors and her relations, 
hearing of the wonderful kind- 
ness the Lord had shown her, came to share her 
joy. A week later they met to circumcise the 
child, and were about to call him 'Zechariah,' 
after his father, when his mother interposed: 
"No, he is to be called John." 
"You have no relation of that name," they 
exclaimed; and they made signs to the child's 
father to find out what he wished the child to 
be called. Zechariah asked for something to 
write on, and then wrote the words: "His name 
is John." Everyone was surprised ; and then all 
at once Zechariah recovered his voice and the use 
of his tongue, and began to bless God. All their 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 19 

neighbors were awe-struck at this, and all through 
the hill country of Judaea the whole story was 
much talked about and all who heard it kept it in 
mind, wondering to themselves what the child's 
future would be; for it was plain that the power of 
the Lord was with him. 

3. Zechariah's His father, Zechariah, too, 
Song was filled with the Holy 

Spirit, and in his inspiration, 
said: 

"Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, 
Who has visited His people and found them deliverance; 
And has raised up for us the Hope of our salvation 
In the House of His servant, David. 

For so He promised by the lips of His Holy Prophets of old 
To he our Salvation from our foes and from the hands of 

all that hate us, 
Thus showing mercy to our ancestors, 
And not forgetful of His sacred Covenant. 

This was the oath which He swore to our ancestor Abra- 
ham — 

That we should be rescued' from the. hands of our ene- 
mies, 

And should serve Him without fear in purity and up- 
rightness, 

In His presence all our days. 

Thou, too, my child, wilt be called a prophet of the 

Most Hitrb, 
For thou wilt go before the Lord to make ready His way, 
To give His people the knowledge of salvation 
Through the forgiveness of sins, 

Due to the tender mercies of our God, 

Through which the Dawn will break on us from Heaven 

To give light to those who dwell in darkness and the 

shadow of death, 
So as to guide our steps into the way of Peace. 



20 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

4. Growth The Child, as he grew, gained 
of John strength of character, and he 

lived in the deserts until the 
time came for his being brought before Israel. 

5. The Birth About that time an order was 
of Jesus issued by the Emperor Augus- 
tus that a census should be 

taken of the whole Empire. ( This was the first 
census taken during the time when Quirinius was 
Governor of Syria.) Accordingly everyone went 
to his own town to be registered. So Joseph went 
up from the town of Nazareth' in Galilee to Beth- 
lehem, the town of David, in Judae — because he 
belonged to the family of David and was one of 
his descendants — to be registered. Mary, who 
was shortly to become a mother, went to be regis- 
tered with him. Her time came while they were 
there, and she gave birth to her first child, a son. 
And, as there was no room for them in the inn, she 
wrapped him up, and laid him in a manger. 

6. The Angels In the same district there were 
and the some shepherds out in the open 

Shepherds fields, watching their flocks 

that night, when an angel of 

the Lord suddenly stood by them, and the glory 

of the Lord shone around them. They were very 

much frightened. 

" Do not be afraid," the angel said. " Listen, 
I am bringing you good news of a great joy which 
is in store for the whole nation; for there has 
been born to you to-day, in the town of David, a 
Savior, who is Christ and Master. And this is the 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 21 

sign you shall have. You will find a baby lying 
wrapped up, in a manger." Then, all in a 
moment, there appeared with xhe angel a multi- 
tude of the army of Heaven, and as they praised 
God they said : 

;i Glory on high to Goci, 
And on Earth peace among men — in whom He delights." 

Presently, when the angels had left them and 
gone back to Heaven, the shepherds began to say 
to one another : 

"Let us go to Bethlehem, and see wbat it is 
that has happened, of which the Lord himself has 
told us. " So they went quickly, and they found 
Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the 
manger ; and when they saw it they told what 
had been said to them about the child. Every one 
who heard the shepherds was astonished at 
their story, while Mary, on her part, treasured 
up every word they said, and turned it all over 
and over in her mind. Then the shepherds went 
back, full of praise to God for all they had seen 
and heard, agreeing as it did with what they had 
been told. 



CHAPTER III. 



1. Circumcision Eight days after his birth, 
of Jesus when it was time to circum- 
cise the child, he received the 
name of Jesus — the name given him by the angel 
before his conception. 



22 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

2. Presentation When the period of purification 
of Jesus in of mother and child enjoined 

the Temple by the Law of Moses came to 
an end, they took the child up to Jerusalem to pre- 
sent him to the Lord. This was in compliance 
with the regulation of the Law of the Lord that 
i every first-born male shall be dedicated to the Lord.' 
They had also to offer the sacrifice laid down in 
the same Law — 'a pair of turtle doves or two young 
pigeons. ' 

3. Simeon's In Jerusalem there was then a 
Character man named Simeon. He was 
and Song a good religious man and 

lived in constant expectation of the Consolation of 
Israel, and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 
It had, too, been revealed to him by the Holy 
Spirit that he should not die until he had seen the 
Lord's Christ. Simeon came into the Temple 
Courts under the influence of the Spirit; and when 
the parents brought in the infant Jesus, to do for 
him what the usage of the Law required, Simeon 
of his own accord took the child into his arms, 
and blessed God. He said: 

"Now, Lord, Thou wilt let Thy servant go, 

In accordance with Thy word, in peace, 

For my eyes have seen the Salvation 

Which Thou hast set in the sight of all nations— 

A light to give light to the Heathen 

And the glory of Thy people Israel." 

The child's father and mother were wonder- 
ing at what was said about him, when Simeon 
gave them his blessing, and said to Mary, the 
child's mother: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 23 

"Listen, this child is to be the cause of the 
fall and rise of many an Israelite, and to be a sign 
much spoken against — you yourself, too, will be 
pierced to the heart — so the thoughts in many 
minds will be disclosed," 

4. The Prophet- There was also there a Proph- 
ess Hannah etess named Hannah, a daugh- 
ter of Phanuel and of the 

tribe of Asher. She was far advanced in years. 
She had lived seven years after her marriage with 
her husband, and then by herself as a widow till 
she had reached the age of eighty -four. She 
never left the Temple Courts, but fasting and 
praying, she worshipped God night and day. Just 
at that moment she came up, and began publicly 
to thank God and to speak about the child to all 
who were looking for the deliverence of Jerusa- 
lem. 

5. Genealogy of A Genealogy of the SON of 
Jesus Christ GOD, JESUS CHRIST, a de- 
scendant of Abraham through 

David. 



God, 


Noah, 


Adam, 


Shem, 


Seth, 


Arphaxad, 


Enos, 


Cainan, 


Cainan, 


Shelah, 


Mahalaleel, 


Eber, 


Jared, 


Peleg, 


Enoch, 


Reu, 


Methusalah, 


Serug, 


Lamech, 


Nahor, 



24 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 



Terah, 
Abraham, 
Isaac, 
Jacob, 

Judah, and his brothers, 
Perez and Zerah (whose 
mother was Tamar), 
Hezron, 
Ram, 

[mathew, the legal] 

After David- 
Solomon ("whose mother 

was Uriah's widow), 
Rehoboam, 
Abijah, 
Asa, 

Jehosaphat, 
Jehoram, 
Uzziah, 
Jotham, 
Ahaz, 
Hezekiah, 
Manasseh, 
Ammon, 
Josiah, 

Jeconiah and his broth - 
the time of the 

Exile to Babylon), 

After the Exile to 

Babylon, 
Shealtiel, 
Zerubbabel, 
Abiud, 



Amminadab, 

Nash on, 

Salmon, 

Boaz ( whose mother 

was Rahab,) 
Obed (whose mother 

was Ruth), 
Jesse, 
King David, 

[LUKE, THE NATURAL] 

Nathan, 

Mattatha, 

Menan, 

Melia, 

Eliakim, 

Jonan, 

Joseph, 

Judah, 

Simeon, 

Levi, 

Matthat, 

Jorim, 

Eliezer, 

Jose, 

Er, 

Elmodam, 

Cosam, 

Addie, 

Melchi. 

Ner , 

Salathiel, 

Zorobabel, 

Rhesa, 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 25 

Eliakim, Joannah, 

Azor, Jadah, 

Zadok, Joseph, 

Achim, Semei, 

Eliud, Mattathias, 

Eleazar, Maatb, 

Matthan, Nagge, 

Jacob, Esli, 

Joseph (the husband of Nauin, 
Mary who became Amos, 
the mother of Jesus, Mattathias, 
who is called 'Christ'). Joseph, 

Jarmah, 

Melchi, 

Levi, 

Matthat, 

Hell, 

Joseph . 
So the whole number of generations from Ab- 
raham to David is fourteen; from David to the Exile 
to Babylon fourteen; and from the Exile to Baby- 
lon to The CHRIST fourteen. 



CHAPTER IV. 



1. Visit of the After the birth of Jesus at 

Magians Bethlehem of Judaea, in the 

reign of King Herod, some 

Magians from the East arrived in Jerusalem, 

inquiring: 

"Where is the new-born King of the Jews? 



26 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

For we saw His star in the eastern sky, and have 
come to do Him homage." 

When King Herod heard the news, he was much 
troubled, and his anxiety was shared by the whole 
of Jerusalem, so he called together all the Chief 
Priests and Rabbis in the nation, and began 
making inquiries of them as to where The Christ 
was to be born. 

"At Bethlehem in Judea," was their answer* 
"for it is said by the Prophet — 
''And thou, Bethlehem in Judah's land, 
Art in no ivay the least among the chief towns of 

Judah; 
For out of thee will come a Chieftain — 
One ivho will shepherd my people Israel.' " 

On this, Herod secretly sent for the Magians, 
and found out from them the exact length of time 
the star had been in sight. He then sent them to 
Bethlehem with directions to go and make care- 
ful inquiry about the child, "and as soon as you 
have found Him," he added, "bring me word, that 
I, too, may go and do Him homage." 

The Magians listened to what the King had 
to say and then set out. To their surprise the 
star which they had seen in the eastern sky led 
them on, until it reached, and hung over where 
the child was. At the sight of the star they were 
greatly delighted. Entering the house, they saw 
the child with His mother Mary, and fell at His 
feet and did homage to Him. Then they unpacked 
their treasures, and offered to the child presents 
of gold, frankincense and myrrh. But afterwards, 
as they had been warned in a dream not to go 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 27 

back to Herod, they returned to their own coun- 
try another way. 

2. Flight Into After they had left, an angel 

Egypt of the "Lord appeared to Jos- 

eph in a dream, and said: 

"Get up and take the child and his mother 
and go for refuge into Egypt; and stay there until 
I tell you otherwise; for Herod is going to search 
for the child, in order to put him to death." 

Joseph got up and taking with him the child 
and his mother by night, retired to Egypt, where 
he stayed until Herod's death; in fulfillment of 
these words of the Lord by the Prophet — 

'Out of Egypt I called my Son. } 

3. Herod Kills As soon as Herod found that 
the Children he had been trifled with by the 

Magians, he was very angry. 
He sent and put to death all the boys in Bethle- 
hem and the whole of that neighborhood who 
were two years old or under, to suit the exact 
date which he had ascertained from the Magians. 
Then were fulfilled these words spoken through 
the Prophet Jeremiah — 
' A voice was heard in Ramah, 
Weeping and much lamentation — 
Rachel weeping for her children; 
And she refused to be comforted, 
"■Because, ' ' said site, "they are gone ! " ' 

4. Removal But on the death of Herod, 
from Egypt an angel of the Lord ap- 
to Nazareth peared to Joseph in a dream 

in Egypt, and said: 



28 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

1 'Get up and take the child and his mother, 
and go into the land of Israel, for those who wanted 
to take the child's life are dead." 

Joseph got up, and taking the child and his 
mother with him, went to the land of Israel. But 
hearing that Archelaus had succeeded his father 
Herod as king of Judaea, he was afraid to go back 
there; and in consequence of a warning received 
in a dream, he retired to that part of the country 
called Galilee. There they settled in their own 
town of Nazareth in fulfillment of these words of 
the Prophets — 'He shall be called a Nazarene.' 
The child as he grew, gained strength and wis- 
dom, and the blessing of God was upon him. 

5. The Boy The child's parents used to go 

Jesus in the every year to Jerusalem at 

Temple the Passover Festival. When 

Jesus was twelve years old they made the cus- 
tomary journey to Jerusalem, and had finished 
their visit, when on their way back, the boy Jesus 
remained behind in Jerusalem without their know- 
ing it. Thinking that he was among their fellow 
travelers, they went a day's journey before 
searching for him among their relations and ac- 
quaintances. As they did not find him, they re- 
turned to Jerusalem, searching for him every- 
where. It was not till the third day that they 
found him in the Temple Courts, sitting among 
the Teachers, now listening to them, now asking 
them questions. All who listened to him were as- 
tounded at his intelligence and his answers. His 
parents were amazed to see him, and his mother 
said to him: 



THE LIFE SUPREME, 29 

"My child, why have you treated us like 
this? Your father and I have been searching for 
you in great distress." 

"What made you search for me?" was the 
boy's reply. "Did you not know that I must be 
at My Father's House?" * 

His parents did not understand what he meant 
by that. However he went down with them to 
Nazareth, and submitted to their control, his 
mother treasuring all his sayings in her memory. 
Meanwhile as Jesus grew up he increased in wis- 
dom, and gained the Messing of God and men. 




*[i. e. about the affairs in his Father's Kingdom— Ed.] 



DIVISION II 



From John, the Baptist's Preaching to 

the Beginning of Jesus' Public 

flinistry. 



CHAPTER V. 

1. John's In the fifteenth year of the 

Proclamation reign of the Emperor Tiberius, 

when Pontius Pilate was Gov- 
ernor of Judaea, Herod being the Prince of Galilee, 
his brother Philip, Prince of the district comprising 
Ituraea and Trachonitis and Lysanias, Prince of 
Abilene, and at the time when Annas and Caiaphas 
were High -priests, a message from God came to 
John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the 
desert. On this, John went through the whole 
neighborhood of the Jordan proclaiming a baptism 
upon repentance for forgiveness of sins, saying: 

"Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is close 
at hand. " 

This was in fulfillment of what was said in the 
book of the prophecies of Isaiah — 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 31 

' Behold I send my messenger before thy face; 

He shall prepare thy way. 

The voice of one crying loudly in the desert: 

"Make ready the way of the Lord, 

Make His paths straight. 

Every chasm shall be filled, 

Every mountain and hill shall be levelled, 

The winding ways shall be straightened, 

The rough roads made smooth. 

And all mankind shall see the Salvation of God. " ' 

All Judaea, with all the inhabitants of Jeru- 
salem and the regions round about the Jor- 
dan, went out to see John and they were bap- 
tized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their 
sins. He wore clothing of camel's hair and had a 
belt of leather about his ivaist, and lived upon locust 
and wild honey. 

John used, then, to say to the many Phari- 
sees and Sadducees that went to be baptized by 
him: 

"You offsprings of vipers! who has prompted 
you to seek refuge from the coming judgment? 
Make your lives, then,' consistent with your re- 
pentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves 'Ab- 
raham is our ancestor' for, I tell you, out of these 
very stones God is able to raise decendants for 
Abraham. Indeed already, too, the axe is lying 
at the root of the trees. So every tree that fails 
to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown 
into the fire." 

"What are we to do then?" the people asked. 

John's answer was: 

"Those who have two coats should share 



32 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

with those who have none; and those who have 
food should do the same." 

Even tax collectors came to be baptized and 
said to John: 

"Teacher, what are we to do?" 

"Do not collect more than the sum fixed for 
you," John replied; and when soldiers on the ac- 
tive service asked: 

"And we — what are we to do?" 

He said: 

"Never use violence to anyone, or exact any- 
thing by false accusation; and be content with 
your pay." 

Then while the people were in suspense and 
were debating with themselves whether John 
could possibly be the Christ, John, addressing 
them all, said: 

"I, for my part, baptize you in water unto re- 
pentance: but there is One, who is more powerful 
than I am, coming, and I am not of sufficient im- 
portance even to stoop and undo His shoes. He 
will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in Fire. 
His flail is in His hand to thoroughly clear His 
threshing-floor and store His corn in His barn, 
while the chaff He will burn with inextinguishable 
fire." And so with many exhortations of one kind 
or another, John told the Good News to the people. 

2. Baptism of At the time when all the peo- 
Jesus pie were baptized, Jesus came 

down from Nazareth of Gali- 
lee to the Jordan, to John, to be baptized by him. 
But John tried to prevent Him. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 33 

"It is I," he said, ' who need to be baptized 
by you, why then do you come to me?" 

"Let it be so for the present," Jesus an- 
swered, "for so it is proper to satisfy in this way 
every religious requirement." 

Upon this John yielded and Jesus was baptized, 
by John into the Jordan. After Jesus' own baptism, 
He went immediately out of the water and while He 
was praying, the sky opened, and the Holy Spirit 
came down in a visible form like a dove, upon 
Him, while from the sky came a voice, saying: 

" ' Thou art My Son My Beloved, 

In Thee I delight.' " 

3 . Temptation On returning from the Jordan 

of Jesus full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus 

was led by the power of the 
Spirit, through the desert forty days among 
the wild, beasts, and was tempted, by the 
Devil. In all that time He ate nothing; and when 
it was over, He became hungry. Presently the 
Devil said to Him: 

1 'If you are really the Son of God, tell these 
stones to become loaves of bread." 

But Jesus answered: 

"Scripture says — l It is not on bread alone that 
man is to live, but on every word that comes from the 
mouth of God. ' " 

The Devil next took Him to the Holy City, 
Jerusalem, and placing Him on the parapet of the 
Temple, said to Him: 

"If you are really the Son of God, throw 
yourself down, for Scripture says: 

(3) 



34 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

'He will give His angels commands about Thee, 

And on their hands they will upbear Thee, 

That Thou may'st never strike Thy foot against a 

stone.'' " 

"Scripture also says," Jesus answered, 
" l Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God J '." 

The third time the Devil took Jesus on to a 
very high mountain, and showing Him all the 
kingdoms of the World and their grandeur, in a 
moment of time, said to Him: 

' 'Everyone of these I will give you ( all of 
their dominion and glory; for it has been deliver- 
ed unto me and to whomsoever I will, I give it) 
if you will fall at my feet and do homage to me." 

Upon this Jesus said to him: 

' 'Begone Satan ! for Scripture says — 
'Thou shalt do homage to the Lord thy God, and wor- 
ship Him only.'' " 

Then the Devil, having completed every 
temptation, left Him alone for a season and angels 
came and attended on Him. 



CHAPTER VI. 



1. John's Reply This is the testimony of John 
to a Deputation which he gave when the Jews 
of Priests sent some Priests and Levites 

from Jerusalem to him, to ask him who he was — 
He owned, without attempting to deny it, he 
owned that he was not the Christ. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 35 

"What then? are you, Elijah?" they asked. 

"No," he said, 4 'I am not." 

"Are you the Prophet?" 

"No," he answered. 

"Who then are you?" they continued; "tell 
us, that we may have some answer to give to 
those who have sent us. What do you say about 
yourself?" 

'♦I," he said, "am — 
■ The voice of one loudly crying in the desert 
"Straighten the way of the Lord" ' as said the prophet 

Isaiah." 

This deputation had come from the Pharisees 
and their next question was: 

"Why are you then baptizing, if you are not 
the Christ, nor Elijah nor yet the Prophet?" 

"I am baptizing in water," was John's answer, 
"but there is One standing among you whom you 
do not Know, who is, indeed, coming after me; 
but I am not worthy even to undo His shoes." All 
this took place at Beth any, across the Jordan, 
where John was then baptizing. 

2. John's Pub- On the following day John 

lie Recognition saw Jesus coming towards 

of Jesus him, and exclaimed: 

"There is the Lamb of God, who is to take 

away the sin of the World! It was of Him that I 

spoke when I said, 'After me there is coming a 

man who is in advance of me,' for He was already 

before me. I did not myself know Him, but it is 

in order that He may be made known to Israel 

that I have come, baptizing in water." John also 

bore this testimony — 



36 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"I have seen the Spirit coming down from the 
sky like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I 
did not myself know Him, but He who sent me to 
baptize in water, He Himself said to me, 'the one 
on whom you see the Spirit coming down and 
remaining — He it is who baptizes in the Holy 
Spirit. I have seen this myself, and have borne 
my testimony to His being the Son of God. " 

3. John's Dec- Again, on the following day 
laration about John was standing with two 

Jesus to two of his disciples, when, looking 
Disciples at Jesus as He was walking, 

he exclaimed : 

' 'There is the Lamb of God !' ' The two disciples 
heard him say this, and followed Jesus. Pres- 
ently Jesus turned round, and saw them following. 

" What are you looking for ? " He asked. 

" Rabbi," they answered, (or "teacher" as we 
should say), " where are you staying ? " 

"Come, and you shall see," He replied. So they 
went, and found where He was staying, and spent 
that day with Him. It was then about four in the 
afternoon. 

4. Andrew One of the two who heard 
Calls Peter what John said and followed 

Jesus was Andrew, Simon 
Peter's brother. The first thing he did was to 
find his own brother Simon, and say to him : 

"We have found the Messiah!" (a word which 
means 'Christ ' or 'Consecrated'. ) Andrew then 
brought him to Jesus. Fixing His eyes on him 
Jesus said: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 37 

"You are Simon, the son of John ; yo tf shall be 
called Cephas" (or 'Peter', which means 'Rock'). 

5. Philip and The following day Jesus de- 
Nathanael cided to leave for Galilee. He 

follow Jesus found Philip, and said to him : 
"Follow me." Philip was 
from Bethsaida, and a fellow-townsman of An- 
drew and Peter. He found Nathanael and said to 
him: 

* ' We have found Him of whom Moses wrote 
in the Law, and of whom the Prophets also wrote. 
It is Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph's son ! " 

" Can anything good come out of Nazareth ? " 
Nathanael asked. 

"Come and see," replied Philip. Jesus saw 
Nathanael coming towards Him, and remarked: 

"Here is a true Israelite, who has no deceit in 
him ! " 

"How is it that you know me?" Nathanael asked. 

" Even before Philip called you," Jesus replied, 
" when you were under the fig tree I saw you". 

"Rabbi," Nathanael exclaimed, "you are the 
Son of God, you are King of Israel ! ' ' 

"Do you believe in me," Jesus asked, 
"because I told you that I saw you un- 
der the fig tree ? You shall see greater 
things than that ! Believe me," He added, "you 
shall see Heaven wide open, and the angels of God 
going up and coming doivn upon the Son of Man." 



DIVISION III 



From the Beginning of Jesus' Ministry 
to the Second Passover. 



CHAPTER VII. 

1. Water Made Two days after this there was 

Wine at a a wedding at Cana in Galilee, 

Wedding at which Jesus' mother was 

present. Jesus Himself, too, 

was invited, with His disciples. The wine ran 

short, so His mother said to Him : 

' ' They have no wine left. ' ' 

" What do you want with me, " Jesus answered, 
"my time has not yet come." His mother said 
to the servants: 

"Do whatever He tells you." 
There were six stone water- jars standing there, as 
required by the Jews' regulation as to ' purifica- 
tion '. They held each twenty or thirty gallons. 

"Fill the water- jars with water," Jesus said to 
the servants. When they had filled them up to 
the brim, He said to them: 

" Now take some out, and carry it to the Master 



THE LIFE SUPJREME. 39 

of the Feast. " The servants did so. And when the 
Master o f the Feast had tasted the water which 
had now become wine, without knowing where it 
had come from — though the servants who had 
taken out the water knew— he called the bride- 
groom and said to him: 

M Everyone else puts his good wine on the table 
first, and his poorer wine as soon as the guests 
have drunk deeply; but you have kept back the 
good wine till now ! ' ' 

This sign of His mission which Jesus gave in Cana 
of Galilee, was the earliest of His signs. By it He 
showed His greatness ; and His disciples believed 
in Him. Jesus was about thirty years old when 
He began His work. 

2. Jesus After this, Jesus went down 
Stays in to Capernaum-He, His mother, 

Capernaum His brothers, and His disciples; 
but they stayed there only a 
few days. 

3. Traders Ex- Then, as the Jewish Passover 
pelled from was near, Jesus went up to 
the Temple Jerusalem. In the Temple 

Courts Courts He found those who 

were selling bullocks, sheep, 
and pigeons, and the bankers seated there. So 
He made a whip of cord, and drove all the sheep 
and bullocks out of the Temple Courts. He scat- 
tered the bankers ' money, and overturned their 
tables, and said to the pigeon dealers : 

"Take these things away. Do not turn my 



40 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Father's House into a market house. " His dis- 
ciples recollected that Scripture said: 

1 Zeal for thy House will consume me.' 
Upon this the Jews asked Jesus: 

"What sign are you going to show us since you 
act in this way ? " 

" Destroy this temple,' ' was His answer. M and J 
will raise it in three days." 

"This Temple," the Jews replied, "has been 
building for forty- six years, and you are going %) 
' raise it in three days ?' " But Jesus was speaking 
of His body as a temple. Afterwards, when He 
had risen from the dead, His disciples recollected 
that He had said this ; and they believed the 
words of the Scripture, and what Jesus had said. 

4. Reception When Jesus was in Jerusalem, 
of Jesus at at the Passover Festival, many 

the Passover came to trust in Him, when 
they saw the signs He was 
giving of His mission. But Jesus, for His part 
did not trust Himself to them, since He could read 
every heart, and because He had no need for others 
to tell Him about any man ; for He could of Him- 
self read what was in man. 

5. Nicodemus There was a Pharisee named 
Visits Jesus Nicodemus, who was a lead- 
ing man among the Jews. 

This man went to Jesus by night, and said to Him: 
fi Rabbi, we know that you are a Teacher sent 
from God; for no one could give such signs as 
you are giving, unless God was with Him." 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 41 

" Believe me," Jesus replied, "unless a man is 
born over again, he cannot see the Kingdom of 
God:' 

" How can a man, " Nicodemus asked, "be born 
when he is old ? Can he enter his mother's womb, 
and be born ?" 

< ' Believe me, " Jesus answered, "unless a man 
owes his birth to water and Spirit, he cannot enter 
the Kingdom of God. All that owes its birth to 
human nature alone is human, only, and all that 
owes its birth to THE SPIRIT is spiritual. Do 
not be surprised at my telling you that you all 
need to be born over again. The wind blows 
where it wills, and you can hear the sound of it, 
but do not know where it comes from, or where it 
goes ; and it is the same with everyone who owes 
his birth to the Spirit." 

" How can that be ? " asked Nicodemus. 

"What! You a teacher of Israel," Jesus re- 
plied, "and do not understand this ? Believe me, 
we speak of what we know, and bear testimony 
about what we have seen ; and yet you do not 
accept our testimony. If, when I tell you about 
earthly things, you do not believe me, how will 
you believe me when I tell you about Heavenly 
things ? There is no one gone up to Heaven, except 
the one who came down from Heaven, the Son of 
Man Himself. And as Moses lifted up the serpent 
in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 
that everyone who believes in Him may have en- 
during Life. ' ' 



42 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

6. Mission of " For God so loved the World, 

the Son that He gave His only Son, 

that no one who believes in 
Him might be lost, but that all might have endur- 
ing Life. For God did not send His Son into the 
World to condemn it, but for the World to be 
saved through Him. Those who believe in Him 
escape condemnation, while those who do not be- 
lieve in Him are already condemned, on the grounds 
of their having not believed in God's only Son. 
Their condemnation lies in this, that though the 
Light has come into the World, men liked the 
darkness more than the Light, because their 
actions were wicked. Indeed, all who are living 
wrongly hate the Light, and will not come to it, 
for fear their actions should be exposed ; but those 
who live up to the truth come to the Light, that 
their actions may be shown to be done in reliance 
upon God." 

7. John's last After this, Jesus went with 
Testimony His disciples into the country 

to Jesus districts of Judaea, where He 

stayed with them, and bap- 
tized. John, too, was baptizing at Aenon near 
Salim, because there were many springs there; 
and people were constantly coming and being bap- 
tized. (For John had not yet been imprisoned). 
A discussion arose between some of John's dis- 
ciples and a Jew on the subject of ' purification \ 
and when John's disciples returned, they said: 

"Rabbi, the man who was with you on the 
other side of the Jordan, and to whom you have 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 43 

yourself borne testimony, He too, is baptizing, 
and everybody is going to Him." 
This was John's answer — " A man can do nothing 
except as enabled to do so from Heaven. You are 
witnesses yourselves that I said that I was not 
the Christ, but that I had been sent as a Messen- 
ger in advance of Him. It is the bridegroom who 
has the bride ; but the bridegroom's friend, who 
stands by and listens to Him, is happy indeed 
when he hears His voice. This is the happiness 
which I have experienced to the full. He must 
become greater, and I less." 

8. The Son's "One who comes from above 
Relation to is above all others ; but a child 
the "World of earth is himself earthly, 
and his teachings earthly too. 
He who comes from Heaven is above all others. It 
is about what He has seen and about what He heard 
that He bears His testimony, and yet no one accepts 
it. Those who do so attest the fact that God is true. 
God's Messenger gives us God's own teaching, 
for God does not limit the gift of the Spirit. The 
Father loves His Son, and has put everything in 
His hands. Those who believe in the Son have 
enduring Life, while those who reject the Son will 
not even see the Life, but they remain under God's 
displeasure." 



CHAPTER VIII. 

1. Jesus Talks Now the Master had heard 
with a Samari- that the Pharisees had been 
tan Woman told that He was making and 
baptising more disciples than 
John(though it was not Jesus Himself but His disci- 
ples who baptized). When He heard this, He left 
Judaea, and set out for Galilee. He had to pass 
through Samaria, and in doing so, He came to a 
town called Shechem, near the plot of ground that 
Jacob gave his son Joseph. Jacob's spring was 
there and Jesus, being tired of His journey, sat 
down, just as He was, close to it. It was then 
about mid-day. A woman of Samaria came to 
draw water; so Jesus asked her to give Him some 
to drink, His disciples having gone into the 
town to buy provisions. 

"How is it," the Samaritan woman replied, 
"that you who are a Jew ask for water from a 
Samaritan woman like me? " (For the Jews are 
not on good terms with the Samaritans). 

"If you knew of the gift of God, " Jesus replied, 
' 'and who it is that is asking you to give Him 
some water you would have asked Him, and He 
would have given you 'living water. ' " 

"You have no bucket, Sir, and the well is deep, " 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 45 

she said; "where have you got that 'living water' 
from? Surely you are not greater than our ances- 
tor Jacob who gave us the well, and used to drink 
from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle too!" 

"All who drink of this water," Jesus replied, 
"will be thirsty again; but who once drinks of the 
water I give him will never be thirsty any more; 
but the water that I will give him will become a 
spring of water in him, welling up for enduring 
Life." 

"Give me this water, Sir," said the woman, "so 
that I may not be thirsty, nor yet have to come 
all the way here to draw water." 

"Go and call your husband," Jesus said, "and 
then come here." 

"I have no husband," the woman replied. 

"You are right in saying that you have no hus- 
band, " replied Jesus, "for you have had five 
husbands, and the man you are now living with is 
not your husband; in saying that you have spoken 
the truth." 

"I see, Sir, that you are a Prophet," the woman 
said. "It was on this mountain that our ances- 
tors worshipped; and yet you Jews say that the 
proper place to worship is in Jerusalem." 

"Trust me, " Jesus replied, "a time is coming 
when it will not be in this mountain or in Jeru- 
salem that you will worship the Father. You 
Samaritans worship what you do not know; we 
worship what we do know, because salvation 
comes from the Jews. But a time is coming, and 
indeed is already here, when the true worshippers 
will worship the Father spiritually, with true in 



46 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

sight, for such is the worship that the Father 
desires. God is Spirit; and those who worship 
Him must worship spiritually, with true insight." 

"I know," the woman answered, "that the Mes- 
siah, who is called the Christ, is coming; when 
ODce He has come He will tell us all things." 

"I am the Messiah," Jesus said to her, "I who 
am speaking to you. " 

2. The Woman At this point His disciples 
Brings other came up, and were surprised 

Samaritans at His talking to a woman, 

to Jesus none of them, however, asked 

what He wanted or why He 

was talking with her. So the woman left the 

pitcher behind, and went back to the town, and 

said to the people: 

"Come and see somebody who has told me 
everything that I have ever done; can He possibly 
be the Christ?" 

The people set out from the town on their way to 
see Jesus. 

3. Jesus Explains Meanwhile the disciples kept 
His Work saying to Him: 

"Take something to eat, Rabbi." 

"I have food to eat, " He answered, "which you 
know nothing about." 

"Surely no one has brought Him anything to 
eat, ' ' the disciples said one to another. 

"My food," Jesus replied, "is to do the will of 
Him who sent me, and to complete the work He 
has given me to do. Do you not say it wants yet 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 47 

four months to harvest- time? Why, look up, and 
see how white the fields are for harvest! Already 
the reaper is receiving wages and gathering in a 
crop for enduring Life, so that sower and reaper 
may rejoice together. For here the proverb 
holds good— 'one sows and another reaps.' I have 
sent you to reap a crop on which you have spent 
no labor; others have labored and you have the 
benefits of their labor." 

4 Many Many from that town came to 

Samaritans believe in Jesus — Samaritans 

Believe in though they were — on account 

Jesus of what the woman said, when 

she declared, 'He has told me 

everything that I have ever done.' When these 

Samaritans had come to Jesus, they begged Him 

to stay with them, and He did stay two days there. 

And many more came to believe in Him on account 

of what He said Himself ; and they said to the 

woman: 

"It is no longer because of your talk that we 
believe in Him; for we have heard Him ourselves 
and are sure that He really is the Savior of the 
World." 

5. Jesus Wei- After these two days Jesus 

corned back went on His way to Galilee: 

to Galilee for He Himself declared that, 

'a prophet gets no honor in 

his own country.' When He reached Galilee, the 

Galilaeans welcomed Him, for they had seen all 

He did in Jerusalem during the Festival, having 

themselves also gone to it. 



48 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

6. Jesus Cures So Jesus came again to Cana 
an Officer's in Galilee, where He had made 
Son the water into wine. Now there 

was one of the King's officers 
whose son was lying ill in Capernaum. When 
this man heard that Jesus had returned from Ju- 
daea to Galilee, he went to Him and begged Him 
to go down and cure his son; for he was at the 
point of death. Jesus answered: 

"Unless you all see signs and wonders, you 
will never beheve in me." 

"Do come down, sir," said the officer, "before 
my child dies. " 

' 'YOU can go, "Jesus answered, ' 'your son is alive 
and well. ' ' The man believed what Jesus said to 
him and went; and he was already on his way 
down, when his servants met him, and told him 
that his son was alive and well. So he asked them 
at what time he began to get better. 

"It was yesterday, about one o'clock," they 
said, "that the fever left him." The father knew 
by this that it had left him at the very time that 
Jesus had said to him: 

'Your son is alive and well'; and he himself be- 
lieved in Jesus, and all his household too. This 
was the second occasion on which Jesus gave a 
sign of His mission on returning from Judaea to 
Galilee. 



CHAPTEK IX. 

1. Cure of a Sometime after this there was 
Cripple in a Jewish Festival; so Jesus 

Jerusalem went up to Jerusalem. There 
is in Jerusalem, near the Sheep- 
gate, a Bath with live colonnades around it. It is 
called in Hebrew ' Bethesda. ' In these colonnades a 
large number of invalids were lying — some blind, 
some lame and some crippled. One man who was 
there had been a cripple for thirty-eight years. 
Jesus saw the man lying there, and finding that 
he had been in this state a long time, said to him : 

"Do you wane to get well? " 

1 'I have no one, Sir, " the invalid answered, ' 'to 
put me into the Bath when there is a movement of 
the water, and while I am getting to it; some one 
else steps down before me." 

"Get up, " Jesus said, "take your mat and walk. " 
Immediately the man got well, and took up his 
mat and began walking. 

2. Beginning of Now it was the Sabbath. So 

Opposition the Jews said to the man who 
to Jesus was cured: 

"This is the Sabbath, you 
must not carry your mat." 

(4) 



50 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"The man who made me well," he answered, 
"told me to take my mat and walk." 

"Who was it," they asked, "that told you to do 
this?" But the man who had been cured did not 
know who it was; for Jesus had moved away, as 
there was a crowd there. Afterwards, Jesus 
found him in the Temple Courts, and said to him: 

"You are well now, do not go on sinning, for 
fear something worse befalling you." The man 
went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus 
who had made him well. And that was why the 
Jews began to persecute Jesus — because He did 
things like this on the Sabbath. 

3. Jesus Ex- Jesus explained: "My Father has 
plains His gone on working to the present 
Divine Mission moment; I go on working too." 
This made the Jews all the more eager to kill Him, 
because not only was He doing away with the Sab- 
bath, but He actually called God His Father — put- 
ting Himself on an equality with God. So Jesus 
gave this further explanation: 

"The Son, believe Me, can do nothing of him- 
self; He only does what He sees the Father doing; 
for whatever the Father does, the Son does also. 
The Father loves His Son, and shows Him every- 
thing that He is doing; and He will show Him 
greater things still — to your astonishment. For 
just as the Father raises the dead and gives them 
Life, so also the Son gives Life to whomever He 
pleases. Indeed the Father does not judge any- 
one, but has 'entrusted the work of judging en- 
tirely to His Son, ' so that everyone may honor the 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 51 

Son, just as they honor the Father. Those who 
do not honor the Son are not honoring the Father 
who sent Him. I assure you, those who listen to 
my teaching and believe Him who sent me have 
enduring "Life, and do not come under condemna- 
tion, but have already passed from Death into 
Life. I assure you, a time is coming, and is 
already here, when the Dead will listen to the 
voice of the Son of God, and when those who 
listen will live. For just as the Father has life 
within himself, so He has given His Son Life, 
that He too may have it within himself. And be- 
cause He is man, He has also given Him authority 
to act as judge. Do not be surprised at this; for 
the time is coming when all who are in their 
graves will hear His voice, and will come out— 
those that have acted rightly to Life, and those 
who have lived wrongly will rise for condemna- 
tion. I cannot do anything of myself; it is as I 
am taught that I judge; and the judgment that I 
pass is just, because my aim is not to do my own 
will, but the will of Him who sent me. If I bear 
testimony to myself, my testimony is not trust- 
worthy; it is another who bears testimony to me, 
and I know that the testimony which He bears to 
me is trustworthy. You have yourselves sent to 
John, and he has testified to the truth. But the 
testimony which I receive is not from man; I am 
only saying this for your salvation. He was the 
Lamp that w T as shining and burning, and you were 
ready, for a time, to rejoice in his light. But the 
testimony which I have is of greater weight than 
John's; for the things which the Father has given 



52 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

me to carry out — the very things which I am do- 
ing — are proof that I have come with a message 
from the Father. The Father who has sent me 
has Himself, too, borne testimony to me. You have 
never either listened to His voice, or seen His 
form; and you have not always His teaching in 
mind, for you do not believe His Messenger. You 
search the Scriptures because you think that you 
find in them enduring Life; and though it is those 
very Scriptures that bear testimony to me, you 
refuse to come to me to have Life. I do not in 
any case, receive honor from men, but I know this 
of you, that you have not the love of God in your 
hearts. I have come in my Father's name, and 
you do not receive me; if another comes in his 
own name, you will receive him. How can you 
possibly believe in me when you receive honor 
from one another, while you do not try to obtain 
the honor which comes from the only God? Do not 
suppose that I shall accuse you to the Father; 
your accuser is Moses, on whom you have been 
resting your hopes. If you had believed Moses, 
you would have believed me, for it was about me 
that Moses wrote; but if you do not believe in his 
writings, how will you believe my words? " 



CHAPTER X. 

1. Return to When Jesus heard that John 

Galilee had been given into custody, 

(for Prince Herod, being re- 
buked by John about Herodias, the wife of Herod's 
brother, Philip, and about all his other wicked 
acts, crowned them all by shutting John up in 
prison), under the direction of the Spirit He re- 
turned to and went about in Galilee, for He would 
not do so in Judaea, because the Jews were eager 
to put Him to death. Reports about Him spread 
through all that neighborhood; He Himself began 
to teach in their Synagogues, and was held in the 
highest honor by everyone. 

2. Jesus At that time Jesus began to 
Begins make this proclamation: — 

Preaching "The time has come, RE- 

PENT, and believe the Good 
News of God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is close 
at hand. 

3. Jesus Coming to Nazareth, where 
Teaches in He had been brought up, 

Nazareth Jesus following His usual cus- 
tom, went on the Sabbath into 



54 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

the Synagogue, and He stood up to read the 
Scriptures. The book given Him was that of the 
Prophet Isaiah; and Jesus opened the book and 
found the place where it says: 

'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 

For He has consecrated me to bring Good News to 
the poor, 

He has sent me to proclaim release to captives and 
restoration of sight to the Mind, 

To set the oppressed at liberty, 

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.' 
Then rolling up the book and returning it to the 
attendant, He took His seat. All eyes in the 
Synagogue were fixed upon Him, and Jesus began: 

"This very day this passage has been fulfilled 
in your hearing." 

All who were present spoke well of Him, and 
they were astonished at the beautiful words that 
fell from His lips. 

"Is not He Joseph's son? " they asked. 

"No doubt," Jesus said, "you will remind me 
of the saying — 'Doctor, cure yourself,' and tell 
me here in my own country to do all that you 
heard took place in Capernaum. Believe me," 
He continued, "no Prophet is acceptable in his 
own country. There were plenty of widows in 
Elijah's days, I assure you, when the sky was 
closed for three and one-half years, and a severe 
famine prevailed throughout the country, and yet 
it was not to one of them that Elijah was sent, 
but to a widow in Sarephath in Sidonia. There 
were, too, plenty of lepers in Israel in the time of 
Elisha, the Prophet, yet it was not one of them 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 55 

that was healed, but Naaman the Syrian." All 
the people in the Synagogue, as they listened ^to 
this, became exceedingly angry. Starting up, 
they drove Jesus out of the town, and took Him 
to the brow of the hill on which their town stood, 
intending to throw Him down. But Jesus passed 
through the middle of them and went away. 

4. Jesus Afterwards, leaving Nazareth. 
Settles in He went and settled in Caper - 

Capernaum naum a city of Galilee, which 
is by the lake-side, within the 
borders of Zebulun and Naphtali; in fulfillment of 
these words in the Prophecy of Isaiah — 

l The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, 

And that along the Road by the Lake, and beyond 
the Jordan, 

With Galilee, of the heathen— 

The people ivho were sitting in darkness 

Have seen a great Light, 

And for those who were sitting in the shadow -land 
of Death, 

A Light has risen! ' 

5. The Great One day as the people were 
Catch of pressing around Jesus as they 

Fish listened to God's Message, He 

happened to be standing by 
the lake of Galilee, and He saw two boats close to 
the shore. The fishermen had gone away from 
them and were washing and mending their nets. 
When He had finished speaking He said to Simon: 
"Push out into deep water, and then all throw 



56 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

out your nets for a haul." 

"We have been hard at work all night, Sir," 
SinioD answered, "and have not caught anything 
but, as you say so, I will throw out the nets." 
They did so, and they enclosed so great a shoal 
of fish that their nets began to break. So they 
signaled to their mates in the other boat to come 
and help them; which they did, filling both boats 
so full of fish that they were almost sinking. 
When Simon Peter saw this he threw himself at 
Jesus' knees, exclaiming: 

"Master, leave me, for I am a wicked man!" 
For he and his brother Andrew, and all those with 
him were lost in amazement at the haul of fish 
they had made; and so, too, were James and John, 
Zebediah's sons, who were Simon's partners. 

"Do not be afraid, come and follow me," Jesus 
said, "from today you shall catch living men." 
And when they had brought their boats in, they 
left everything to Zebediah and the hired servants 
and followed Jesus. 

6. Cure of In Capernaum, on the Sabbath, 

a Possessed He was teaching the j>eople in 
Man the Synagogue, and they were 

greatly struck with His teach- 
ings, because His words were spoken with author- 
ity and not as the Rabbis. In the Synagogue 
there was a man who had a wicked spirit in him, 
who called out loudly: 

"Stop! What do you want with us, Jesus of 
Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know 
who you are — the HoJy One of God!" 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 57 

But Jesus rebuked the spirit. 

"Silence! Come out from him, " He said. The 
evil spirit flung the man down in the middle of 
the people, and then came out from him without 
hurting him at all; and in the general amazement, 
people kept saying to each other: 

"What is the meaning of words like these? A 
new teaching! For He gives His orders with un- 
mistakable authority to the wicked spirits, and 
they come out." 

And rumors about Jesus spread to every place in 
all the regions of Galilee. 

7. Cure of On leaving the Synagogue, 

Peter's Jesus went into Simon's house 

Mother-in-law with Andrew, James, and 
John, and as Simon's mother- 
in-law was suffering from a severe attack of fever, 
they asked Him about her. Jesus, taking her by 
the hand, leaned over her and rebuked the fever. 
The fever left her, and she immediately got up 
and began waiting upon them. 

8. Cure of At sunset the whole city had 
Many Persons gathered round the door. Ev- 
eryone who had friends suffer- 
ing from various diseases or possessed with devils, 
took them to Jesus; and He placed His hands upon 
everyone of them and cured them, in fulfillment 
of these words in the Prophecy of Isaiah — 

'He took our infirmities on Himself, and bore the 
burden of our diseases. ' Even evil spirits came 
out of many people, calling out as they did so, 
'You are the Son of God!' Jesus rebuked them, 
and would not allow them to speak, because they 
knew that He was the Christ. 



CHAPTER XI. 

1. Jesus Retires At daybreak Jesus walked out 
to a Lonely to a lonely spot. He there 

Place began to pray. But Peter and 

crowds of people began to 

look for Him; and when they came up to Him they 

tried to detain Him and prevent His leaving them, 

Jesus, however, said to them: 

"I must take the Good News of the Kingdom of 
God to the other towns as well, for this was the 
object for which I was sent." 

2. Jesus Jesus went round the whole 
Preaches in of Galilee, then, teaching in 

Galilee their Synagogues, proclaim- 

ing the Good News of the 
Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and 
illness among the people; and His fame extended 
throughout the whole of Syria. People brought 
to Him all who were ill with various diseases, or 
who were suffering pain, any who were either 
possessed, or lunatic, or paralyzed; and He cured 
them. He was followed, too, by large crowds 
from Galilee, the district of the Ten Towns, Jeru- 
salem, Jud aea, and the other side of the Jordan. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 59 

3. Cure of Jesus was once staying in one 
a Leper of the towns, when He and the 

large multitude which was 
following Him came upon a man who was suffering 
badly from leprosy. On seeing Jesus, the leper 
threw himself on his face and implored His 
help: 

"Master, if only you are willing, you can heal 
me. " Jesus' heart was moved and stretching out 
His hand, He touched him, saying as He did so: 

"I am willing, be healed." 
Instantly the leprosy left the man; and then Jesus 
impressed upon him that he was not to tell anyone. 

"But," he added, "set out and shoiv yourself to 
the Priest and make the offerings in connection 
with vour healing in the manner that Moses di- 
rected, for a proof of your cure to the people. " 
The man, how T ever, went away, and began to say 
so much about it and to spread the story so widely 
that Jesus could no longer go openly into a town, 
but stayed outside in lonely places, and yet great 
crowds of people kept coming together to listen 
to Him, and to be cured of their illnesses; but He 
used to retire to more lonely places to pray. 

4. Cure of Some days later, when Jesus 
a Paralyzed came back to Capernaum, the 

Man news spread that He was at 

home; and such numbers of 
people collected that after a while there was not 
room for them even round the door; and He began 
telling them His Message. There were some 
Pharisees and Doctors of the Law sitting near. 



60 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

who had come from every village of Galilee, Jeru- 
salem, and Judaea; and the power of the Lord 
was with Jesus to heal the sick. Presently there 
came some people carrying a paralyzed man, 
borne by four, intending to bring him to Jesus. 
But being unable to get him near Jesus, owing to the 
crowd, they removed the roofing below which 
Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, 
they let down the mat on which the paralyzed man 
was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said 
to the man: 

"Courage, my son! your sins are forgiven." 
But some of the Rabbis and Pharisees sitting there 
were debating with themselves: 

"Why does this man speak like this? It is blas- 
phemy! Who can forgive sins except God Him- 
self? " As soon as Jesus became conscious that 
they were debating like this with themselves, He 
said to them: 

"Why do you cherish such wicked thoughts? 
Why are you debating with yourselves about 
this? Which is easier — to say to the paralyzed 
man k Your sins are forgiven? ' or to say 'Get up, 
and take your mat, and walk' ? But that you may 
know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive 
sins on Earth'' — here He addressed the paralyzed 
man — "To you I say, get up, take your mat, and 
go home." 

The man got up, and immediately took his mat, 
and glorifying God went out before them all; at 
which they were all astonished, and praised God 
for giving such power to men. 

"We have never, seen anything like this! " they 
said in great awe. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 61 

5. Call of After this, Jesus went out to 

Levi the seaside. All the people 

followed Him and so He taught 
them. As He was going He noticed a tax-collec- 
tor, named Levi ("Matthew), the son of Alphaeus, 
sitting in the tax office, and said to him : 

"Follow me." Levi left everything, got up and 
followed Him. 

6. Jesus Blamed Later on, Levi gave a great 

for His entertainment in his house, in 

Companions honor of Jesus and His dis- 
ciples; and a large number 
of tax-collectors and others were at the table with 
Him. The Pharisees and Rabbis belonging to 
their party found fault with the disciples of Jesus: 
"Why do you and your Master eat and drink 
with tax-collectors and godless people?" It was 
Jesus who answered them. He said: 

"It is not those who are well who need a doctor, 
but only those who are ill. Go and learn what 
this means — k It is mercy I ivish for, and not sacri- 
fice'. I have not come to invite the pious, but the 
godless to repent. " 

7. Disciples ' 'John' s disciples, " they said to 
Blamed for Jesus, "often say prayers, and 
not Fasting fast, and so do the disciples of 

Pharisees, while yours are 
eating and drinking." 
Jesus' answer was this: 

"Is it possible that you can make the bride- 
groom's friends fast while he is w T ith them? A 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 

time, however, will come — a time when the bride- 
groom will be parted from them, they will fast 
then — when that time comes. " Then by way of 
illustration Jesus said to them: 

"No one ever tears a piece from a new garment 
and puts it upon an old one; for, if he does, he 
will not only tear the new garment, but the patch 
from the new one will not match the old one. And 
no one puts new wine into old wine-skins; for, if he 
does, the new wine will burst the skins, and the 
wine will run out, and the skins will be lost. But 
new wine must be put into fresh skins, and so both 
will be preserved. No one after drinking old 
wine wishes for new. 'No', he says, 'the old is 
excellent' ". 



CHAPTER XII. 

1. The Disciples About the same time Jesus 
Accused of walked through the grainfields 

Breaking the one Sabbath. His disciples be- 
Sabbath came hungry, and began to 

pick some ears of grain, rub- 
bing them in their hands, and eating them. But 
when the Pharisees saw this, they said: 

"Look! your disciples are doing what it is wrong 
to do on the Sabbath! " 

"Have you not read," Jesus replied, "what 
David did, when he and his companions became 
hungry — how he went into the House of the 
Lord, when Abiathar was High Priest, and how 
they ate the consecrated bread, which he and his 
companions had no right to eat, but only the 
priests? And have you not read in the Law that, 
on the Sabbath, the priests in the Temple, break 
the Sabbath and are not guilty? Here, however, is 
something greater than even the Temple, I tell 
you! And had you learned the meaning of the 
words * It is mercy I ivish for and not sacrifice, ' you 
would not have condemned those who are not 
guilty. " Then Jesus added: 

"The Sabbath was made for man, and not man 



64 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

for the Sabbath; so the Son of Man is master of, 
even, the Sabbath." 

2. Cure of a On another Sabbath Jesus 
Man ■with a went into the Synagogue and 

Withered taught; and there was a man 
Hand there whose right hand was 

withered. The Rabbis and 
Pharisees watched Jesus closely, to see if He would 
work cures on the Sabbath, in order to find a 
charge to bring against Him. Jesus, however, 
knew what was in their minds, and so He said to the 
man whose hand was withered: 

"Get up and stand forward." The man did so 
and Jesus said to them : 

"Which is right? to do good on the Sabbath, 
or harm? to save life, or to destroy it? Which of 
yourselves if he had only one sheep, and that 
sheep fell into a pit on the Sabbath, would not lay 
hold of it and pull it out?" 

As they made no reply, Jesus, looking around at 
them indignantly, grieved at the hardness of their 
hearts, said: 

"How much more precious is a man than a 
sheep! Therefore it is right to do good on the 
Sabbath." Then He spoke to the man. 

"Stretch out your hand," He said. The man 
stretched it out; and it became as sound as the 
other. 

3. Plot against Immediately on coming out, 

Jesus mad with vexation, the Phari- 

sees in concert with the Her- 
odians laid a plot against Jesus with a view to 
putting Him to death. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 65 

4. Jesus Jesus, however, came to know 

Avoids the of it and went away from that 
Pharisees place with His disciples and 
came to the lake-side fol- 
lowed by great numbers of people from Galilee. 
A great number, too, hearing of all that He was 
doing, came to Him from Judaea, from Jerusalem 
itself, from Edom, from beyond the Jordan, and 
from the country around Tyre and Sidon. So 
Jesus told His disciples to keep a small boat close 
by, for fear the crowd should crush Him. For He 
had cured numbers of people and consequently they 
kept pressing up to Him, that all who were afflicted 
might touch Him. The wicked spirits, too, when- 
ever they caught sight of Him, flung themselves 
at His feet and called out: 

"You are the Son of God !"; but He warned them 
repeatedly, not to tell anyone about Him, in fulfill- 
ment of these words in the Prophet Isaiah — 

'Behold the servant of my choice, 
My beloved — the delight of my heart! 

I will breathe my Spirit upon Him, 
And He shall announce a time of Judgment to the 
heathen. 

He will not wrangle nor brawl, 
Nor ivill anyone hear His voice in the streets; 

A reed that has been bruised He ivill not break, 
And a smoldering wick He will not quench, 

Till He has brought the Judgment to a victorious 
end. 
And on His name will the heathen rest their hopes.'' 

(5) 



66 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

5. Choice of About that time, Jesus went 
the Twelve out, up the hill to pray and 

Apostles spent the whole night in prayer 

to God. When day came, He 
called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of 
them whom He also named 'Apostles ' — that He 
might have them about Him, and that He might 
send them out to preach, giving them power and 
authority also to drive out evil spirits, as well as 
the power of curing every kind of disease and 
sickness. So He appointed the twelve. They 
were, Peter (which is the additional name Jesus 
gave to Simon), and his brother Andrew; James 
and his brother John, the sons of Zebediah, (whom 
He surnamed Boanerges, which means sons of 
Thunder); Philip and Bartholomew (Nathanael); 
Thomas and Matthew the tax-collector (Levi the 
son of Alphaeus); James the son of Alphaeus and 
Thaddeus (Lebbeus, Jude or Judas the son of 
James); Simon the Zealot (a Canaanite or Judas); 
and Judas Iscariot — the one who betrayed Him. 

6. Jesus at Afterwards Jesus came down 
the Foot of the hill with them and took 

the Hill His stand in a level place. 

With Him were a large crowd 
of His disciples and great numbers of people from 
beyond the Jordan, the whole of Judaea, Jeru- 
salem, and the coast districts of Tyre and Sidon. 
They had come to hear Him and to be made well 
from their diseases. Those, too, who were troubled 
with wicked spirits were cured; and everyone in 
the crowd tried to touch Him, because a power 
proceeded from Him which made everyone well. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 

1. The Truly At the sight of the people, 

Happy Jesus went up the hill, and 

when He had taken His 

seat, His disciples came up to Him; and He began 

to teach them as follows: 

"Happy are the poor — in spirit, for it is to them 
that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs. 

Happy are those who now are sorrowful and 
weep, for it is they who will be comforted. 

Happy are the gentle, for it is they who will in- 
herit the Earth. 

Happy are those who now hunger and thirst — 
for the Right, for it is they who will be plenti- 
fully fed. 

Happy are the merciful, for it is they who will 
have mercy shown them. 

Happy are the pure — in heart, for it is they who 
will see G-od. 

Happy are the peacemakers, for it is they who 
will be called the children (sons) of God. 

Happy are those who have been persecuted — in 
the cause of Right, for it is to them that the King- 
dom of Heaven belongs. 



8 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Happy are you whenever people abuse you, 
hate and persecute you, expel and excommuni- 
cate you as bad men, and say everything bad of 
you — untruly, and on my account. Be glad and 
rejoice, yea leap for joy, because your recompense 
in Heaven is great; it was indeed, in just the same 
way that people persecuted the Prophets who 
preceded you." 

2. The Truly "But 'alas! for you who are 
Unhappy rich, ' for you have your com- 
fort here. 

Alas! for you who are satisfied now, for you 
will be hungry. 

Alas! for you who laugh now, for you will be 
sorrowful and in tears. 

Alas! for you when every one speaks well of 
you; it was, indeed, in this very way that their 
forefathers treated the pretended Prophets." 

3. Jesus' Real "It is you who are the Salt of 

Disciple the Earth; but should salt lose 

its saltness, what will you 
use to restore its strength? It is no longer good 
for anything, but it is thrown away, and trampled 
under foot. It is you who are the Light of the 
World; it is impossible for a town that stands on a 
hill to escape notice." 

4. Lesson from ' 'Nor do people light a lamp 

a Lamp and cover it over, but they 

put it on a lamp stand, where 

it gives light to everyone in the house. In this 

same way let your light shine before the eyes of 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 69 

your fellow-men, so that seeing your good actions 
they may praise your Heavenly Father." 

5. The Old "Do not imagine that I have 

and New Law come to do away with the 
Law or the Prophets; I have 
not come to do away with them, but to complete 
them. For, believe me, if the earth and sky dis- 
appear, not even the dot of an 'i' or the cross of a 
't' will disappear from the Law — not until all is 
done. Anyone therefore who breaks one of the 
least of these commandments, and teaches others 
to do so, will be counted of least importance in the 
Kingdom of Heaven; whereas anyone who acts 
up to them, and teaches others to do so, will be 
counted great in the Kingdom of Heaven. Unless, 
indeed, your religion is superior to that of the 
Pharisees and Rabbis, you will not, I tell you, 
even enter the Kingdom of Heaven. ' ' 



i »' 



6. On Anger "You have heard that to our 
ancestors it was said — l Thou 
shalt not commit murder, and whoever commits mur- 
der shall be liable to be brought to trial. ' I, how- 
ever, tell you that anyone who is angry with his 
brother will be liable to be brought to trial; and 
if anyone says to his brother 'You fool', he will be 
liable to be brought before the High Council, 
while if anyone says 'You scoundrel', he will be 
liable to be sent to the fiery Pit. So, when pre- 
senting your gift at the altar, you there remember 
that your brother has some grievance against you, 
leave your gift there, before the altar, and go and 
make friends with your brother first; then come, 



70 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

and present your gift. Be ready for a reconcilia- 
tion with your opponent, even when you meet him 
on the way to court; for fear he should hand you 
over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and 
so you should be thrown into prison. Believe me, 
you will not get out from there until you have paid 
the last quarter-cent due." 

7. On Impurity "You have heard that it was 

said — '-Thou shalt not commit 
adultery.'' I, however, tell you that anyoue who 
looks at a woman with a lustful intent has already 
committed adultery with her in his heart. So if 
your right eye is a snare to you, tear it out and 
throw it away. It is better for you to lose one 
part of your body, than to have the whole of it go 
down into the Pit." 

8. On Divorce "It was also said — ^Let anyone 

ivlio divorces his wife serve her 
ivith a notice of separation.^ I, however, tell you 
that anyone who divorces his wife, except on 
the ground of her unchastity leads to her becom- 
ing an adulteress; while anyone who marries her 
after her divorce becomes an adulterer." 



CHAPTER XIV. 

[the sermon continued.] 

1. On Oaths "Again, you have heard that 

to our ancestors it was said — 
'Thou shalt not break an oath, but thou shalt keep 
thine oaths as a debt due to the Lord.'' I, however, 
tell you not to take an oath at all, either by Heaven, 
since that is God's throne, or by the Earth, since 
that is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, since that is 
the city of the great King. Nor must you swear by 
your head, since you cannot make a single hair 
either white or black. Your words then should 
be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this has 
evil at its root. " 

2. On Revenge "You have heard that it was 

said— 'An eye for an eye and a 
tooth for a tooth.' I, however, tell you not to re- 
sist a man who injures you; but if anyone strikes 
one of you on the right cheek turn him the other 
too; and when anyone wants to go to law with 
you and get your coat, let him take your cloak as 
well; and when people take away what is yours do 
not demand its return; and if anyone forces you 
to go one mile, go two miles with him. Give to 
those that ask you; and when people want to 



72 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

borrow from you, do not turn away from them." 

3. On Love "You have heard that it was 

said — 'Thou slialt love thy neigh- 
bor and hate thy enemy.' I, however, say to you — 
Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, 
do good to those who hate you, and pray for 
those who persecute you, that you may be- 
come true children of your Heavenly Father. 
For He causes the sun to rise upon the bad as 
well as on the good, and sends rain upon those 
who do wrong as well as on those who do 
right. For if you love only those who love you, 
what recompense will you get? Even the tax- 
collectors and godless do that! If you do good to 
those who do good to you, what recompense will 
you get? Even sinners do that. If you loan to 
those from whom you expect as much in return 
what recompense will you get? Even godless 
people do that! And if you show courtesy to your 
brothers only, what more are you doing than others? 
Even heathen do that! Serve your enemies, 
never despairing, your recompense will be great, 
for you will be true children of the Most High. 
You then are to be perfect and merciful as your 
Heavenly Father is, for He is kind even to the 
thankless and bad. ' ' 

4. About "Take care not to perform 
Giving your religious duties in public 

with the view to be seen by 
others; if you do your Heavenly Father has no 
recompense for you. So when you distribute 
charity, do not have a trumpet blown in front of 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 73 

you, as hypocrites do in the Synagogues and in 
the streets, that they may be praised by other 
men. That, believe me, is all their recompense! 
But when you are giving in Charity, do not let 
your left hand know what your right hand is 
doing, so that your charities may be in secret; 
and then your Father, who sees what is done in 
secret, will repay you." 

5. About "And when you pray you are 
Praying not to behave as hypocrites do. 

They like to pray standing in 
the Synagogues and at the corners of streets, 
for others to see them. That, believe me, is all their 
recompense! But when one of you prays, let Mm 
go into Ms own room, shut the door, and pray to his 
Father who is in secret; and then his Father who 
sees what is done in secret, will repay him. When 
praying, do not say the same words over and over 
again, as is done by the heathen, who fancy that 
by using many words they shall get a hearing. 
Do not copy their example, for God, your Father, 
knows your needs before you ask Him." 

6. The You, therefore, are to pray in 
Disciples' this way — 

Prayer 'Our Heavenly Father, 

May thy Name be held holy, 
Thy Kingdom come, 
And thy will be done; 
On Earth as in Heaven. 
Give us to-day 

Our bread for the day before us; 
And forgive us our debts, 



74 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

As, we too, have forgiven our debtors; 
And do not take us into temptation 
But rescue us from evil.' 
For if you forgive other people their offences, 
your Heavenly Father will also forgive you yours; 
whereas if you forgive not others their offences, 
your Father will not forgive yours either." 

7. About "And when you fast, do not 
Fasting put on gloomy looks, as hyp- 
ocrites do who disfigure them- 
selves for other people to see that they are fasting. 
That, believe me, is all their recompense! But 
when one of you fasts, let him anoint his head and 
wash his face, so that others may not notice that 
he is fasting, but that his Father who is in secret 
may; and then his Father, who sees what is done 
in secret, will repay him." 

8. The True "Do not store up treasures 
Treasure for yourselves upon Earth, 

where moths and rust destroy 
them and thieves break in and steal. But store 
up treasures in Heaven , where no moths or rust 
destroy them, and where thieves do not break in 
nor steal. For where your treasure is, there, too, 
will your heart be." 

9. Light and "The lamp of the body is the 
Darkness eye. If your eye is unclouded 

your whole body will be lighted 
up; but if your eye is diseased your whole body 
will be dark. And if the inner Light be dark, how 
intense must that darkness be! " 



CHAPTER XV. 

[SERMON CONCLUDED]. 

1. The Cares ''No one can be servant to 

of Life two masters, for he will either 

dislike the one and like the 
other, or he will attach himself to one and scorn 
the other. You cannot serve both God and Gold. 
That is why I say to you — Do not be anxious about 
your life here — what you will have to eat or drink; 
nor yet about the clothes for your body. Is not 
your life more important than its food, and your 
body than its clothes? Look at the wild birds — 
they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns; 
and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them! And 
are not you worth more than they? Which of 
you, however anxious he is about it, can prolong 
his life a single moment? What use either is 
there in being anxious about clothing? Mark the 
wild lilies, how they grow! They neither toil nor 
spin, yet, I tell you, even Solomon in all his 
grandeur was not robed like one of them. If, 
then, God clothes in this way the very wild flow- 
ers, which are living today and will be used for 
the oven to-morrow will He not do much more the 
same for you, you who have so little faith? Do 



76 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

not then ask anxiously 'What can we get to eat?' 
or 'What can we get to drink?' or 'What can we 
get to wear?' For all these things the heathen 
are eager about and your Heavenly Father knows 
that you have need of them all. But first, be eager 
about the Kingdom of God, and about what He ap- 
proves to be right, and then all these things will be 
given you in addition. So do not be anxious about 
to-morrow, for to-morrow will have anxieties of 
its own. Each day brings enough trouble for 
itself." 

2. About "Do not sit in judgment upon 

Judging Others others, so that others may not 
sit in judgment upon you. Do 
not condemn others and then you will not be con- 
demned. For just as you judge others, you your- 
selves will be judged, and the same measure that 
you give will be given to you. Let others off and 
you will be let off yourselves. Give, and they will 
give to you. It will be a generous measure, 
pressed tight, shaken down, and running over, 
that they will pour into your lap. Why, too, do 
you look at the splinter in your brother's eye and 
pay no attention to the beam in yours? How are 
you going to say to your brother 'Let me take the 
splinter from your eye', when all the time there 
is a beam in your own? Hypocrite! Take out 
the beam out of your own eye first, and then you 
will see clearly to take the splinter from your 
brother's." 
Then by way of illustration Jesus continued: 

" 'Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they 
not both fall into a ditch? A scholar is not above 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 77 

his teacher; yet every finished scholar will be like 
his teacher.' Do not give what is sacred to dogs, 
nor yet throw your pearls before hogs, for fear 
they should trample them under their feet, and 
then turn and attack you. " 

3. Encourage- "Ask, and your prayer will 

ment to be granted; search, and you 

Prayer will find; knock, and the door 

will be opened to you. In- 
deed, it is always those that ask who get, those 
that search who find, and those that knock to 
whom the door will be opened. Who among your- 
selves, when his son asks him for a loaf, will give 
him a stone, or when he asks for a fish will give 
him a snake? "Well, then, if you, wicked as you 
are, know how to give good gifts to your children, 
how much more will your Heavenly Father give 
the Holy Spirit and good gifts to those that ask 
Him." 

4. Persistence ' 'Suppose one of you who has 

in Prayer a friend were to go to him in 

the middle of the night and 
say, 'Friend, lend me three loaves for a friend of 
mine has come to my house after a journey, and I 
have nothing to offer him'; and suppose the other 
should answer from inside, 'Do not trouble me; 
the door is already fastened, and my children and 
I have gone to bed; I cannot get up and give you 
anything'; I assure you that, even if he will not 
get up and give him anything because he is a 
friend, yet because of his friend's persistence he 
will rouse himself and give him all he needs." 



78 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

5. The Golden "Always, then, treat others 

Rule as you would like them to 

treat you; that is, indeed, 
both the Law and the Prophets." 

6. The Two "Go in by the small gate. 

Roads Broad and spacious indeed is 

the road that leads to destruc- 
tion, and those that go in by it are many; whereas 
small is the gate, and narrow the road, which leads 
to Life, and those that find it are few." 

7. True and "Beware of pretended teach- 
False Teachers ers — men who come to you 

wrapped in sheepskins, but 
are ravenous wolves underneath. It is by the 
fruit of their lives that you must judge them. Do 
people gather grapes from thornbushes, or figs 
from thistles? Indeed every tree is judged by its 
own fruit. So, too, every sound tree bears good 
fruit, while an unhealthy tree bears bad fruit. It 
is not possible for a sound tree to bear bad fruit, 
nor for an unhealthy tree to bear good fruit. 
Every tree that fails to bear good fruit is cut down 
and thrown into the fire. Hence it is by their 
fruit that you must judge teachers. A good man, 
from the good stores of his heart, brings out what 
is good; while a bad one, from his bad stores, 
brings out what is bad. For his heart is the source 
of the words on his lips. Why do you call me 
'Master! Master!' and yet not do what I tell you? 
It is not every one who says to me 'Master! Mas- 
ter! ' who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but 
only those who do the will of my Heavenly Father. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 79 

On that Day many will say to me 'Master, Master, 
was it not in your name that we taught, and in 
your name that we drove out evil spirits, and in 
your name that we did many miracles? ' And then 
I will say to them plainly, 'I never knew you. 
Leave me, you who live in sin.' " 

8. The Two "Every one, then, who listens 

Foundations to this teaching of mine and 
acts upon it may be compared 
to a prudent man who has gone deep in digging 
his foundation, and built his house upon rock. 
Down comes the rain, the rivers rise, the winds 
blow and beat upon that house and yet it does not 
fall, because its foundations are upon rock. But 
every one who listens to this teaching of mine and 
does not act upon it may be compared to a foolish 
man, who builds his house on sand. Down comes 
the rain, the rivers rise, the winds blow and strike 
upon that house and it falls; and great, indeed, is 
the crash of its downfall! " 

By the time Jusus had done speaking the crowd 
was greatly struck with His teaching*. For He 
was teaching them like one who had authority, 
and not like their own Rabbis. 



CHAPTER XVI. 

When Jesus had finished all He had to say to the 
people He entered into Capernaum. 

1. Cure of There was a captain in 

an Officer's the Roman army who had a 
Servant servant that he greatly valued, 

who was so ill with paralysis 
that he was at the point of death. Hearing about 
Jesus, he sent some Jewish Councilors to Him, 
with the request that He come and save his ser- 
vant's life. When they found Jesus they earnestly 
implored Him to do so. 

"He is a man who deserves your showing him 
this favor," they said, "for he is devoted to oar 
nation, and himself built our Synagogue for us." 
So Jesus went with them. But when He was al- 
ready close to the house, the captain sent some 
friends with the message — 

"Do not trouble yourself, Sir, for I am not im- 
portant enough for you to come under my roof. 
This indeed is the reason why I did not think 
myself fit to come to you; but say the word and 
let my man-servant be healed. For I myself am a 
man under the orders of others, with soldiers under 
me; and if I say to one of them 'Go,' he goes; and 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 81 

to another 'Come', he comes; and to my servant 

'Do so and so', he does it." 

Jesus was surprised to hear these words from him; 

and turning to the crowd which was following, He 

said: 

"Never in an Israelite have I met such faith as 
this! Yes, and mauy will come from East and West 
and take their places at table with Abraham, 
and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven; 
while the heirs to the Kingdom will be 'banished 
to the darkness' outside, where there will be weep- 
ing and grinding of teeth." Then Jesus said to 
the messengers: 

"Go now and say to the Captain, 'it shall be 
according to your faith.' " 
And the man was cured that very instant. 

2. Raising the Shortly after. Jesus went to a 
Son of the town called Nain, His disciples 
Widow of Nain and a great crowd going with 
Him. Just as He got near 
the gate of the town, there was a dead 
man being carried out for burial, who was 
the only son of a widowed mother. A large num- 
ber of the people of the town were with her. The 
Master's heart was touched at the sight of her, 
and He said to her: 

"Do not cry." 
Then He went up and touched the bier, and the 
bearers stopped. 

"Young man, " Jesus said, -"it is to you I am 
speaking,. get up." 
The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus 

(6) 



82 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

restored him to his mother. Every one was awe- 
struck and began praising God. 

"A great Prophet has risen among us," they 
said. "God has not forgotten His people." 
And this story of Jesus spread all over Judaea as 
well as in the neighboring countries. 

3. John's Now John heard in prison, for 
Message to his disciples had told him, what 

Jesus The Christ was doing, and 

sent some of his disciples with 
this message: 

"Are you the Coming One or are we to look for 
some one else? " When these men found Jesus 
they said: 

"John the Baptist has sent us to ask — 'Are you 
the "Coming One", or are we to look for some one 
else?'" 

Just at that time Jesus had cured many people of 
diseases, afflictions and evil spirits, and had given 
many blind people their sight. To this question 
Jesus answered: 

"Go and report to John what you hear and see 
— the Mind are gaining their sight and the lame are 
walking, the lepers are being healed, and the deaf 
are getting their hearing, and the dead, too, are 
being raised to life, and the Good Neivs is being told 
to the poor. And happy is the man who finds no 
hindrance in me. " 

4. Testimony While these men were going 
of Jesus to back, Jesus began to say to 

John the crowds in reference to 

John: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 83 

"At what did you go out into the desert to look? 
A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you 
go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, 
those who wear rich things are to be found in the 
courts of kings! For what then did you go out? 
To see a Prophet? Yes, indeed, and something 
more than a Prophet; for this is the very man of 
whom Scriptures says — 

'Behold, I am myself sending my messenger before 
thy face, 

And he shall prepare thy way before thee. ' 
Believe me, no one born of a woman has arisen 
who is greater than John the Baptist, and yet the 
one of least importance in the Kingdom of Heaven 
is greater than he, (All the people, when they 
heard this, even the tax-collectors as well, 
acknowledged the justice of God, having already 
accepted John's baptism. But the Pharisees and 
the Teachers of the Law, having rejected John's 
baptism, frustrated God's purpose in regard to 
them.) From the time of John the Baptist, till 
this very hour, the Kingdom of Heaven has been 
taken by force and men using force have been 
seizing it. For the teaching of all the Prophets 
and the Law continued till the time of John; and — 
if you are ready to accept it — John is the Elijah 
who was to come. Let all who have ears listen! 
But to what shall I compare the present genera- 
tion? It is like some little children sitting in the 
market-places, and calling to their playmates — 
'We have played the fife for you, but you have 
not danced; we have wailed but you have not 
wrung your hands. ' For when John came — a 



84 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

man who neither ate nor drank like other people 
— men said 'He has an evil spirit in him'; and now 
that the Son of Man has come eating and drinking 
like other people, they are saying, 'Here is a 
glutton and a wine drinker, a friend of tax- 
collectors and godless people! ' In all this Wis- 
dom is vindicated by her actions. " 

5. Jesus One of the Pharisees asked 

Anointed by Jesus to dine with him, so 
a Woman Jesus went to his house and 
took His seat at table. Just 
then a woman who was leading a bad life in the 
town, having ascertained that Jesus was at 
table in the Pharisee's house, procured an alabas- 
ter jar of perfume, and placed herself behind 
Jesus near His feet, sobbing. She began to make 
His feet wet with her tears, and she dried them 
with the hair of her head, kissing His feet and 
sprinkling them with perfume. When the Phar- 
isee who had invited Jesus saw this, he said to 
himself: 

"Had this man been The Prophet, He would 
have known who, and what sort of woman, this is 
who is touching Him, and that she is leading a 
bad life." But addressing him, Jesus said: 

"Simeon, I have something to tell you." 

"Pray do, Teacher," Simeon answered; and 
Jesus began: 

"There were two people in debt to a money- 
lender, one owed two hundred and fifty dollars 
and the other five. As they were unable to pay 
him, he forgave both of them their debts. Which 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 85 

of them do you think will feel the greater love 
for him? " 

"I suppose, " said Simeon, "it will be the man 
to whom he forgave the greater debt." 

"You are right, " Jesus answered; and then turn- 
ing to the woman, He went on: 

"Do you see this woman? I came to your house 
— you gave me no wa/ber for my feet, while she has 
made my feet wet with her tears and dried them with 
her hair. You did not give me one kiss, while 
she, from the moment I came in, has never stopped 
kissing my feet! You did not sprinkle even my head 
with oil, while she has sprinkled my feet with 
perfume. And for this, her sins, many as they 
are, have been forgiven, because she has loved 
greatly, but those who have little forgiven them, 
love but little." 
Then He said to the woman: 

"Your sins have been forgiven." 
On this those at table began to say to one another: 

"Who is this man who actually forgives sins?" 
But Jesus said to the woman; 

"Your own faith has saved you; my blessing go 
with you." 



CHAPTER XVII. 



Women who 

Ministered to 

Jesus 



Kingdom of God. 



1. Women who Shortly afterwards, Jesus went 
on a journey through the 
towns and villages, proclaim- 
ing the Good News of the 
With Him went the twelve, as 
well as some women who had been cured of evil 
spirits and of complaints. There were Mary, 
known as Mary of Magdala (from whom seven 
evil spirits had come out), and Joanna (the wife 
of Herod's agent, Chuza), and Susannah, and 
many others — all of whom ministered to Jesus and 
His Apostles out of their means. 



2. 



Cure of a 
Blind and 
Dumb Man 



When He had returned to 
Capernaum, some people 
brought to Jesus a devil- 
possessed man, who was blind 

and dumb, and He cured him, so that the man who 

had been dumb both talked and saw . At this all 

the people were astounded. 

"Is it possible that this is the son of David? " 

they exclaimed. 



3. Jesus 
Accused of Act- 
ing by the 
Help of Satan 



The Pharisees and Rabbis 
from Jerusalem heard of this 
and said: 

"He has Baal-zebub in Him. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 87 

He only drives out evil spirits by the help of 
Baal-zebub their chief." 

Jesus, however, was aware of what was passing 
in their minds and said to them: 

"Any kingdom at variance within itself is on 
the way to desolation, and any town or household 
at variance within itself will not last. So if Satan 
drives Satan out he must be at variance with him- 
self, and how then can his kingdom last? In my 
case, too, if it is by Baal-zebub 's help that I drive 
evil spirits out, by whose help is it that your own 
sons drive them out? Therefore they shall them- 
selves be your judges. But if it is by the help of 
the Spirit of God that I drive out evil spirits, then 
the Kingdom of God must be already upon you. 
How, again, can anyone get into a strong man's 
house and carry off his goods without first secur- 
ing him? While a strong man is keeping guard, 
fully armed, over his own mansion, his property 
is in safety; but as soon as a still stronger attacks 
and gets the better of him, he takes away all the 
weapons on which the other relied. Not till then 
will he plunder his house. Those who are not 
with me are against me, and those who do not join 
me in gathering are scattering. Therefore, I tell 
you, men will be forgiven every sin and slander, 
except slander against the Holy Spirit, which will 
not be forgiven. Whoever speaks against the Son 
of Man will be forgiven, while whoever speaks 
against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, 
either in the present age or the age to come." 
This was said in answer to the charge that He 
had a wicked spirit in Him. " 



88 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

4. Words a "You must assume that either 

Test of both tree and fruit are good, or 

Character that both tree and fruit are 

unhealthy; since it is by its 
fruit that a tree is judged. You offsprings of 
vipers! how can you, bad as you are, say anything 
good? For the heart is the source of the words 
on the lips. A good man from his good stores 
brings forth good things; while a bad man from 
his bad stores produces bad things. I tell you, 
that for every trifling remark that people make, 
they must answer for on the Day of Judgment. 
For it is your words that will acquit you, and it is 
your words that will condemn you. " 

5. A Woman's As Jesus was saying this, a 
Exclamation woman in the crowd, raising 

her voice, exclaimed: 
"Happy was the mother who bore you and 

nursed you! " But Jesus replied; 

"Rather, happy are those who listen to God's 

Message and keep it. ' ' 

6. A Sign At this point, some of the 
Asked for Rabbis and Pharisees broke 

in, tempting Him. 

"Teacher," they said, "we would like to see 
some sign from you. " 
As the crowd grew thicker Jesus began by saying: 

"The present generation is a wicked one. It 
asks for a sign, and no sign shall be given it 
except the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah was a 
sign to the people of Ninevah, so will the Son of 
Man be to the present generation. For just as 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 89 

Jonah was inside the sea-monster three days and three 
nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and 
three nights in the heart of the earth. " 

7. The Sin "The men of Ninevah will 
of Rejecting stand up in the Day of Judg- 

Jesus ment side by side with this 

generation, and will condemn 
it, because they repented at Jonah's proclamation; 
and here is more than a Jonah! The Queen of 
the South will rise up at the Judgment side by side 
with the present generation and will condemn it, be- 
cause she came from the very ends of the earth to 
listen to the wisdom of Solomon; and there is more 
than a Solomon here. ' ' 

8. Danger of "No sooner does a wicked 
Imperfect spirit leave a man, than it 

Reformation passes through places where 
there is no water, in search of 
rest, and does not find it. Then it says, k I will go 
back to the home I left', and on its arrival finds it 
unoccupied, and swept out, and put in order. Then 
it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more 
wicked than itself, and they go in, and make their 
home there; and the later state of that man proves 
worse than the earlier. Such, too, will be the 
case with this wicked generation." 

9. The Rela- After this Jesus went into a 
tives of Jesus house; and again such a crowd 

Interfere collected that He and those 

who were with Him could not 
even get their food. When His relatives heard of 
it they went to secure Him. 



90 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"He is out of His mind," they exclaimed. 

10. The True Presently Jesus' mother and 

Brotherhood His brothers came up, and 

standing outside, sent to ask 

Him to come to them. There was a crowd sitting 

round Him, and they said to Him: 

''Look, your mother and your brothers are out- 
side, asking for you." 

"Who is my mother? and my brothers?" was His 

reply. 

Then, having looked round on the people sit- 
ting in a circle round Him, He said: 

"Here are my mother and my brothers! Who- 
ever does the will of God is my brother and sister 
and mother." 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

1. The Parable That same day when Jesus 

of the had left the house, and was 

Sower sitting by the lakeside, such 

great crowds gathered around 

Him, that He got into a boat, and sat in it, while all 

the people stood upon the beach. Then He told 

them many truths in stories. 

• ^here was once, " He said, ' 'a man who went out 
to sow, and as he was sowing, some seed fell along 
the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some 
fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil; 
and having no depth of soil, it sprang up at once. 
As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and 
as it had no root, it withered awaj-. Some again 
fell into the thornbushes, which shot up and 
choked it. Some, however, fell upon good soil, 
and gave a crop varying from one hundred to sixty 
or thirty times as great. Let all who have ears, 
listen! " 

2. Why Jesus Later on His disciples came 
Used Parables up to Him, and said: 

"Why do you use stories in 
speaking to them?" 

"To you," Jesus replied, "the knowledge 



92 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven 
has been imparted, but not to the peo- 
ple yonder. For those that retain anything 
will have more given them, till they have 
abundance; but those who retain nothing, will 
have even what they seem to have taken away 
from them. That is why I speak to them in 
stories because, though they have eyes, they do 
not see, and though they have ears they do not 
hear or understand. And in them is being fulfilled 
the prophecy of Isaiah which says — 

' You will hear with your ears without ever under- 
standing, 

And though you have eyes, you will see without ever 
'perceiving, 

For the mind of this nation has grown dense, 

And their ears are dull of hearing, 

Their eyes also have closed; 

Lest some day they should perceive with their eyes, 

And with their ears should hear, 

And in their minds should understand, and should 
turn — 

And then I should cure them. ' 
But you are happy in having eyes that see and 
ears that hear; for, believe me, many Prophets 
and good men have longed for the sight of the 
things that you are seeing, yet never had it, and 
to hear the things you are hearing, yet never heard 
them. 

3. Explanation You, then, may listen to the 

of the story of the Sower. The Seed 

Parable of the is the Word of God. When any- 

Sower one hears the Message of the 

Kingdom without understand- 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 93 

ing it, the Wicked One comes and snatches away 
what was sown in the mind. This is what is meant 
by the seed which was sown along the path. By 
the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant 
the man who hears the Message and joyfully 
accepts it at once; but he has no root, he stands 
for only a short time, and when trouble or perse- 
cution arises on account of the Message, he falls 
away at once. By the seed which was sown 
among the thornbushes is meant the man who 
hears the Message and really understands it, but 
the anxieties of life, the snares of wealth, and all 
sorts of other ambitions come in, and so completely 
choke it that nothing comes of it. But by the seed 
which was sown on good ground is meant the man 
who hears the Message and understands it and 
really produces fruit, varying from one hundred to 
sixty or thirty times as much. " 

4. Parable of Another story Jesus told them 
the Tares was this: 

4 'The Kingdom of Heaven 
may be compared to a man who sowed good seed 
in his field. But while everybody was asleep, his 
enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, 
and then went away. So when the blades of wheat 
shot up, and came into ear, the tares made their 
appearance too. On this the owner's servants came 
to him, and said: 

'Was it not good seed that you sowed in your 
field? Where then do the tares in it come from?' 

'It must be the work of an enemy,' was his 
reply. 



94 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

'Would you like us then', they asked, 'to go and 
gather them together? ' 

'No', said he, 'for while you are doing so, you 
should root up the wheat as well. Let both grow 
side by side until the harvest-time; and then I will 
tell the reapers to gather together the tares first, 
and tie them in bundles ready for burning; but to 
bring ail the wheat into my barn. ' " 

5. Parable of the Another story He told them 
Mustard Seed was this: 

"What is the Kingdom of 
God like? To what can I liken it? The Kingdom 
of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man 
took and sowed in his field. This seed is smaller 
than any other, but when it is grown up, it is 
larger than the herbs and becomes quite a tree, so 
that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." 

6. Parable of This was another story which 
the Leaven Jesus related: 

"To what shall I liken the 
Kingdom of God? The Kingdom of Heaven is 
like some leaven which a woman took and covered 
up in three half pecks of flour, until the whole 
was leavened." 

7. Lesson from Jesus also said to them: 

a Lamp "No one puts a light to a 

lamp, and then sets it in a 
cellar or covers it over, but he sets it on the lamp- 
stand, so that any one who comes in may see the 
light. The lamp of the body is the eye. When 
your eye is unclouded, your whole body, too, is 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 95 

lighted up; but as soon as your eye is diseased, 
your body, too, is dark. Take care, therefore, 
that the inner Light is not darkness. And then if 
your whole body is lighted up, and no corner of 
it dark, the whole will be as much lighted up, 
as when a lamp gives you its brilliant light. There 
is indeed nothing kept secret, which will not have 
light let in upon it; nor is there any secret which will 
not some day become known and come to the light. 
Take care, then, how you listen. " 

All this Jesus told the crowd in stories; indeed 
to them He never spoke at all except in stories, in 
fulfillment of these words of the Prophet— 
l I will speak to them in stories; 
I will utter things kept secret from the foundation 
of the World.' 

8. Explanation Then Jesus let the crowds go, 

of the Parable and went into the house. 

of the Tares Presently His disciples came 
up to Him and said: 

"Will you explain to us the story of the tares of 
the field? " 

"Yes," He answered. "The sower of the good 
seed is the Son of Man. The field is the World. 
The good seed is the people of the Kingdom; the 
tares are wicked people. The enemy who sowed 
them is the Devil. The harvest-time is the End of 
the Age, the reapers are the angels. And just as 
the tares are collected and burned up, so it will be 
at the End of the Age. The Son of Man will send His 
'angels', and they will collect from His Kingdom 
everything that is a hindrance to men, and all who 
live in sin, and 'will throw them into the fiery fur- 
nace', where there will be weeping and grinding 
of teeth. Then will those who do right shine out like 
the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let all 
who have ears listen! " 



CHAPTER XIX. 

1. Parable of the "The Kingdom of Heaven is 

Treasure like a treasure hidden in a 

field, which a man found and 
hid again, and then in his delight went and sold 
everything that he had, and bought that field." 

2. Parable ' 'Again, the Kingdom of Heav- 
of the Pearl en is like a merchant in 

search of beautiful pearls. 
Having found one of great value, he went and sold 
everything he had, and bought it." 

3. Parable "Or again, the Kingdom of 
of the Net Heaven is like a net which 

was cast into the sea, and 
caught fish of all kinds. When it was full, they 
hauled it upon the beach, and sat down and sorted 
the good fish into baskets, but threw away the 
useless ones. So will it be in the End of the Age. 
The 'angels' will go out and separate the wicked 
from the righteous, and 'will throw them into the 
fiery furnace' , where there will be weeping and 
grinding of teeth. Have you understood all this? ' ' 
Jesus asked. 

"Yes", they answered. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 97 

4. Parable of the Jesus also said: 

Seed Growing kk The Kingdom of God is 
Unobserved like a man sowing seed on the 
ground, and then sleeping at 
night and getting up by day, while the seed is 
shooting up and growing — he does not know how. 
The ground bears the crop of itself— first the 
blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the 
ear; but as soon as the crop is ready, the man at 
once puts in the sickle because the harvest has come" 

5. New and Then He added: 

Old Truths ' 'Therefore every Rabbi who 

has received instruction about 

the Kingdom of Heaven is like a householder who 

produces from his storeroom things both new and 

old." 

6. Jesus Stills Then, when even was come, 

a Storm He got into a boat, followed 

by His disciples. He said 
unto them: 

"Let us go over unto the other side", and they 
launched forth. 

Suddenly so great a storm began on the lake, that 
the waves broke right over the boat and were fill- 
ing it. Jesus was in the stern asleep on the cush- 
ion; and the disciples came and roused Him. 

"Master", they said, "carest thou not that we 
perish? save us, our lives are in danger! " 

"Why are you so cowardly? " said Jesus. "How 

little faith you have! " 

Then Jesus got up and rebuked the winds and said 

unto the lake: 
(?) 



98 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"Peace, be still!" and a great calm followed. 
The men were amazed and exclaimed: 

"What kind of a Man is this that even the winds 
and the lake obey Him! " 

7. Cure of a Afterwards they arrived on 

Mad Man the other side of the lake — the 
country of the Gergesanes; 
and as soon as Jesus had got out of the boat, He 
met a man coming out of the tombs, who was under 
the power of a wicked spirit. For a long time 
this man had not worn any clothing, and he did 
not live in a house but made his home in the tombs. 
He was so fierce that no one could pass by that 
way. No one could secure him, even with a chain; 
for though he had many times been left secured 
with fetters and chains, he had snapped the chains 
and shattered the fetters, and no one was able to 
master him. Night and day alike, he was calling out 
continually in the tombs and on the hills, and cut- 
ting himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus 
from the distance, he ran and bent low before Him, 
calling out loudly. 

"What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the 
Most High God? For God's sake do not torment 
me before the time." For Jesus was saying: 

"Come out from the man, you wicked spirit." 
"What is your name? " Jesus asked. 

"My name", he said, "is Legion, for there are 
numbers of us; " and he begged Jesus again and 
again not to send them away out of that country 
into the abyss. There was a large drove of hogs 
there, feeding on the hillside. So the spirits beg- 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 99 

ged Jesus to send them into the hogs, that they 
might take possession of them; and Jesus gave 
them leave. They came out and took possession 
of the hogs; and the drove, numbering about two 
thousand, rushed down the steep slope and were 
drowned there. On this the herdsmen ran away, 
and carried the news to the town, and to the 
country round; and the people went to see what 
had happened. When they came to Jesus, they 
found the possessed man sitting there, clothed and 
in his right senses — the very man who had had 
the 'Legion' in him — and they were awe struck. 
Then those who had seen it related to all what had 
happened to the possessed man, as well as about 
the hogs; upon which they began to beg Jesus to 
leave their district. As He was getting into the 
boat, the man who had been possessed begged 
Jesus, to let him stay with Him. But Jesus re- 
fused. 

"Go home to your own people,' ' He said, ' ' and tell 
them all that the Lord has been doing for you, 
and how He took pity on you." 
So the man went, and began to make known in the 
district of the Ten Towns all that Jesus had done 
for him; and everyone was astonished. 



t.ofC. 



CHAPTER XX. 

1. Jair's Request By the time Jesus had recross- 

ed in the boat to the opposite 
shore, a great number of people had gathered to 
welcome Him, and were standing by the lake side. 
Here one of the Presidents of the Synagogue, 
whose name was Jair, came up to Jesus, and as 
soon as he saw Him, threw himself at His feet 
with repeated entreaties. 

* 'My only little daughter," he said, is at the 
point of death; I beg of you to come and place 
your hands on her, that her life may be saved." 
So Jesus set out with him. 

2. Cure of an A great number of people fol- 

Afflicted. lowed Jesus, and kept press- 

Woman ing round Him. Meanwhile a 

woman who had been suffer- 
ing for twelve years from haemorrhage, and had 
gone through much under many doctors, spending 
all she had without gaining any relief, but, on the 
contrary, growing worse, having heard of Jesus, 
came behind in the crowd, and touched His cloak. 
"If I can touch even His clothes," she said, "I 
shall get well! " 

Immediately the haemorrhage was stopped, and 
she felt in herself that she was cured of her com- 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 101 

plaint. Jesus instantly became conscious that 
there had been a demand upon His powers, and 
turning round in r.he crowd, said: 

"Who touched my clothes? " And when they all 
denied, 

"You see the people pressing round you," His 
disciples exclaimed, "and yet you say 'Who touched 
me ; ! " But Jesus still kept looking about who had 
done it. Then, the woman in fear and trembling, 
aware of what had happened to her, came and 
threw herself down before Him, and told Him the 
whole truth. 

"My daughter, " He said, "your own faith has 
made you well. My blessing go with you; be free 
from your complaint. " 

3. J a i r ' s Before He had done speaking, 

Daughter Re- some people came from the 
stored to Life house of the President of the 

Synagogue, and said: 
"Your daughter is dead! Why should you 
trouble the Teacher any more? " But Jesus, over- 
hearing what they were saying, said to the Presi- 
dent of the Synagogue: 

"Do not be afraid; only have faith; and she will 
get well! " And He allowed no one to accompany 
Him except Peter, James, and John, James 's broth- 
er. Presently they reached the President's 
house, where Jesus saw a scene of confusion — peo- 
ple weeping and wailing incessantly. 

"Why is there this confusion and weeping;" He 
said on entering. "The little child is not dead, 
she is asleep." They began scornfully to laugh 



102 THE LIFE SUPBEME. 

at Him, since they knew she was dead; but He 
sent them all out, and then took the child's father 
and mother, and His companions, and went in 
where she was lying. Taking her hand, Jesus 
said to her: 

"Taleitha, koumr' — the meaning of which is, 
'Little girl, I am speaking to you, get up.' The 
little girl stood up immediately, and began walk- 
ing about; for she was twelve years old. Directly 
they saw it they were utterly astounded; but Jesus 
repeatedly cautioned them not to let anyone know 
of it, and told them to give her something to eat. 

4. Cure of As Jesus was passing on from 

Two Blind Men there, He was followed by 
two blind men, who kept call- 
ing out: 

"Take pity on us Son of David! " 
When He had gone in doors, the blind men came 
up to Him and Jesus said to them: 

"Do you believe that I am able to do this? " 

"Yes, Master," they said. Upon that He 
touched their eyes and said: 

"It shall be according to your faith." 
Then their eyes were opened. Jesus sternly 
cautioned them to be careful not to let anyone 
hear of it. But the men went out, and spread the 
news about Him through all that part of the 
country. 

^5. Cure of a Just as they were going out, 

Dumb Man some people brought up to 

Jesus a dumb man who was 

possessed; and as soon as the evil spirit had been 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 103 

driven out, the dumb man spoke. The people were 
astonished at this. 

"Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel!" 
they exclaimed. 

6. Jesus in And He went from that place, 
Nazareth and came into His own country ; 

and His disciples followed 
Him. And when the Sabbath came He began to 
teach in the Synagogue; and many who heard Him 
were astonished, saying: 

"From whence has this man these things? and 
what wisdom is this which is given to Him, so that 
even such mighty signs are wrought by His hands? 
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary? the 
brother of James, and Joses, and Judah, and Si- 
mon? and are not His sisters here with us? " And 
they were offended at Him. And Jesus said to 
them: 

"A Prophet is not without honor, except in his 
own country, and among his own relatives, and in 
his own family". And He was unable to do any 
great work there, except that He touched with His 
hands a few sick people and healed them. And 
He was astonished at their unbelief. 

7. The People Then Jesus went round all the 
Taught and villages and towns, teaching 

Cured in their Synagogues, proclaim- 

ing the Good News of the 
Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and 
sickness. But when He saw the crowds His heart 
was touched with pity for them, because they were 
distressed and harassed like sheep ivithout a shep- 
herd, and He said to His disciples: 

"The harvest is heavy but the laborers are few. 
So pray to the Owner of the harvest to send 
laborers to do the harvesting. ' ' 



CHAPTER XXI. 

1. Directions Jesus, having called His twelve 

to the Disciples to Him, and given them 

Disciples authority over wicked spirits 

so that they could drive them 

out, as well as the power of curing every 

kind of disease and sickness; He then sent them 

out two by two, after giving them the following 

directions 

"Do not go to the heathen, or enter any Samar- 
itan town, but make your way to the lost sheep of 
Israel. And on your way make this proclama- 
tion — 'Repeat, the Kingdom of Heaven is close at 
hand.' Cure the sick,, raise the dead, heal lepers, 
drive out evil spirits. You have received free of 
cost, give free of cost. Do not provide yourselves 
with goJd, or silver, or cents in your pockets; not 
even with a bag for the journey, or a change of 
clothes, or shoes, or even a stick; for the worker 
is worth his food. Whatever town or village you 
go to stay in, inquire for some worthy person 
there and remain there till you leave. As you 
enter his house, express your good wishes for it. 
Then, if the house prove worthy let your blessing 
rest upon it, but if it proves unworthy, let your 
blessing return upon yourselves. If no one wel- 






TEE LIFE SUPREME. 105 

comes you, or listens to what you say, as you leave 
that house or that town, shake off its dust from 
your feet as a warning to them. Believe me, the 
doom of the land of Sodom and Gomorrah will be 
more bearable in the 'Day of Judgment' than the 
doom of that town." 

2. Cautions to "Remember, I am sending you 
the Apostles out like sheep among wolves. 

So be as wise as serpents and 
as blameless as doves. And be on your guard 
against your fellowmen, for they will give you up 
to the courts of law, and flog you in their Syna- 
gogues; and you will be taken, for my sake, be- 
fore governors and kings, so as to witness for me 
to them and to the heathen. Whenever they give 
you up, do not be anxious about how you shall 
speak or what you shall say in your defence, for 
it is not you who will be speaking, but the Spirit 
of your Father who speaks within you who will 
show you at the moment what to say. Yes, and 
brother will give up brother unto death, and a 
father his child; and children will turn against their 
parents, and have them put to death; and you will 
be hated by every one on My account. But the 
man who endures to the end will be saved. But 
when they persecute you in one town, escape to 
the next; for believe me you will not have gotten 
to the end of the towns of Israel before the Son 
of Man comes. " 

3. Encourage- "A scholar is not above his 
ment to the teacher, nor a servant above 

Apostles his master. It is enough for 

a scholar to be treated like his 



106 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

teacher, and a servant like his master. If the 
head of the house has been called Baal-zebub, 
how much more the members of his household! 
Do not therefore, be afraid of them. There is 
indeed nothing covered up which will not be un- 
covered, nor anything kept secret which will not 
be made known. What I tell you in the dark, that 
say again in the light, and what is whispered in 
your ear within closed doors, proclaim on the 
housetops. And do not be afraid of those who 
kill the body, yet are unable to kill the soul; but 
rather be afraid of him who is able to destroy both 
body and soul in the Pit. Yes, I say, be afraid of 
him. Do not two sparrows sell for a cent? and 
yet not one of them will fall to the ground without 
your Father's consent? While as for you the 
very hairs of your head are all counted. Do not, 
therefore, be afraid, you are of more value than 
many sparrows. Everyone indeed who will ac- 
knowledge me before his fellow men, I, the Son of 
Man, on my part, will acknowledge him before my 
Heavenly Father; but if anyone disowns Me be- 
fore his fellow men, I, too, will entirely disown 
him before my Heavenly Father." 

4. Cost of "Do not imagine that I have 

Christ's Service come to bring peace upon the 
Earth. I have come to bring 
not peace but the sword. Indeed, I have come to 
set a man against his father, and a daughter against 
her mother, and a daughter -in- laiv against her mother - 
in-laic. A man's enemies will be the members of his 
own household. Those who love father or mother 
more than me are not worthy of me; and those 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 107 

who love son or daughter more than me are 
not worthy of me. And the man who does not 
take his cross and follow where I go is not worthy 
of me. Those who have secured their lives will 
lose them, while those, who for my sake, have lost 
their lives will secure them." 

5. Rewards "Those who welcome you are 
of Service welcoming me; and those who 

welcome me are welcoming 
Him who made me His Messenger. Those who 
welcome a Prophet, because he is a Prophet, will 
get a Prophet's recompense; and those who wel- 
come a good man because he is a good man, will 
get a good man's recompense And if anyone 
gives but a cup of cold water to one of these lowly 
ones because he is a disciple, believe me, he will 
certainly get his recompense." 

6. Jesus After Jesus had finished giv- 
Preaches in ing instructions to His Twelve 
the Towns Disciples, He left that place in 

order to teach and preach in 
their towns. The Disciples themselves set out, 
and proclaimed the need of repentance to village 
after village and telling the Good News. They 
drove out many evil spirits, and anointed many 
invalids with oil and cured them. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

1. Herod's At that time Prince Herod 
Opinion of heard of the fame of Jesus 

Jesus and said to his attendants: 

"This must be John the 
Baptist; he must be risen from the dead, and 
that is why these powers are so active in 
him." And he was anxious to see HIM. 

2. Account of For Herod had arrested John, 

John's put him in chains, and shut 

Execution him up in prison, to please 
Herodias, the wife of Herod's 
brother Philip, Herod having taken her as his own 
wife. For John had told him that he had no right liv- 
ing with her. So Herodias owed him a grudge, and 
wanted to put him to death, but was unable to do 
so, for Herod stood in fear of John, knowing him 
to be a good, holy man, and protected him. After 
listening to John, he was still much perplexed, 
but yet he found pleasure in listening to him. He 
was afraid of the people also, because they looked 
on John as a Prophet. But when Herod's birth- 
day came, he gave a dinner to his high officials, 
generals, and the foremost men of Galilee. The 
daughter of Herodias danced before the company 
and so pleased Herod and those who were dining 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 109 

with him, that he promised, with an oath, to give 
her whatever she asked for, up to half his king- 
dom. The girl went out and said to her mother: 

'What must I ask for? ' 

'The head of John the Baptizer, ' answered her 
mother. Thus prompted by her mother, the girl 
went in as quickly as possible to the King, and said: 

'Give me here, on a dish, the head of John the 
Baptist. ' The King was very sorry for this; yet on 
account of his oath and the guests at his table, he 
ordered it to be given her. So he immediately 
despatched one of his body-guard, with orders to 
bring John's head. The man went and beheaded 
him in prison, and bringing his head on a dish, 
gave it to the girl and the girl gave it to her 
mother. When John's disciples heard of it, they 
came and took the body away, and buried it; and 
went and told Jesus. 

3. Return of After a time the Apostles 
the Apostles came back to Jesus, and told 
Him all that they had done 
and had taught. 

"Come near to Bethsaida, without attracting 
attention, to. some lonely spot yourselves," He 
said, "and rest a little while" — for there were so 
many people coming and going that they had no 
time even to eat. So they set off in their boat for 
a lonely spot, endeavoring not to attract attention. 
But many people saw them going and recognized 
them, and left all the towns and flocked together 
by land, and got there before them. This they 
did because they saw the signs of Jesus' mission 
in His work among those who were ill. On get- 



110 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

ting out of the boat, Jesus saw a great crowd, and 
His heart was touched at sight of them, because 
they were going about like sheep without a shepherd. 
Jesus walked up the hill and sat down there with 
His disciples and the multitudes, and began to 
teach them many things about the Kingdom of 
God, while He cured those who stood in need of 
help. 

4. Jesus Feeds It was near the time of the 

Five Thousand Jewish Festival of the Pass- 
Men over. The day was drawing 
to a close when Jesus said to 
Philip: 

" Where are we to buy bread for these people 
to eat? " He said this to test him, for He Himself 
knew what He meant to do. 

"One hundred dollars worth of bread is not 
enough," Philip answered, "for each of them to 
have a little." Then His disciples came up to 
Him and said: 

"This is a lonely spot and it is already late. 
Send the people away, so that they may go to the 
farms and villages round to lodge and buy them- 
selves something to eat." 

"They need not go away; it is for you to give 
them something to eat," replied Jesus. 

"Are we to go and buy one hundred dollars 
worth of bread?" they asked, ' 'to give them to eat?' ' 

"How many loaves have you? " He asked, "go 
and see." 

"There is a boy here," said Andrew, one of His 
disciples, Simon Peter's brother, "Who has five 



THE LIFE SUPREME. Ill 

barley loaves and two fishes; but what is that for 
so many? " 

"Make the people sib down," Jesus said. There 
was plenty of grass at the spot; so the men among 
them sat down, after which Jesus took the loaves, 
and having given thanks, He gave them to the 
disciples, and the disciples gave them round to 
those who had seated themselves in companies of 
hundreds and fifties; and the same with the fish, 
giving the people as much as they wanted. When 
they were satisfied, Jesus said to His disciples: 

"Pick up the pieces that are to spare, so that 
nothing may be wasted." The disciples did so, 
and loaded twelve baskets with the pieces of the 
five barley loaves, which were to spare after all 
had had enough. There were about five thousand 
men who partook of the meal, without counting 
women and children. Immediately afterwards 
Jesus made His disciples get into the boat, and 
cross over in advance in the direction of Caper- 
naum, while He sent the people away. The people 
when they saw the signs which Jesus gave, said : 

"This is certainly The Prophet, who was to come 
into the World. ' ' So having discovered that they 
were intending to come to carry Him off to make 
Him King, 
Jesus retired again to the hill quite alone to pray. 

5 . Jesus Walks By this time darkness had 

on the Sea set in, but Jesus had not come 

back to His disciples; the lake, 

too, was getting rough, for a strong contrary wind 

was blowing. About three hours after midnight, 



112 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

when they had rowed three or four miles, the boat 
was in the middle of the lake, and they caught 
sight of Jesus walking on the water and getting 
near the boat with the intention of joining them; 
and they were afraid. 

"It must be a ghost, " they exclaimed, and cried 
out for fear. But Jesus at once spoke to them: 

"COURAGE!" He said, it is I, be not afraid! " 

"Master," Peter replied, "if it is you tell me to 
come to you on the water." 

"Come," said Jesus. So Peter got down from 
the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus; 
but when he felt the wind, he was frightened, and 
beginning to sink, called out: 

"Master! Save me! " Upon this, Jesus instant- 
ly stretched out His hand and caught hold of him. 

"How little faith you have!" He said, "What 
made you hesitate? ' ' When they had got into the 
boat the wind dropped. But the men in the boat 
threw themselves on their faces before Him, and 
said: 

"You are indeed the Son of God! " Then the 
boat at once arrived off the shore, at the place for 
which they had been making. The men of that 
place recognizing Jesus, sent out to all the country 
round and brought to Him all that were ill, and 
begged Him only to let them touch the tassel of 
His cloak; and all who did so were completely 
cured. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

1. Jesus Follow- The people who remained on 

ed by the Peo- the further side of the lake 

pie to Caper- had seen that only one boat 

naum had been there, and that Jesus 

had not gone into it with 

His disciples, but that they had left without Him. 

Some boats, however, had come from Tiberias 

close to the spot where they ate the bread after 

the Master had given thanks. So, next day, when 

the people saw that Jesus was not there, or His 

disciples either, they themselves got into the boats, 

and went to Capernaum to look for Him. They 

found Him on the other side of the lake, and said: 

"When did you come here, Rabbi? " 



2. Jesus the "I tell you," answered Jesus, 
Liife-Giving "it is not on account of the 
Bread signs which you saw that you 

are looking for me, but be- 
cause you had plenty of bread to eat. Do not 
work for perishable food, but work for that which 
lasts, and is food for Enduring Life. This the 
Son of Man will give you, for it is upon Him that 
the Father — God Himself — has set the seal of His 
approval." 

(8) 



114 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"How," they asked, "are we to do the things 
that God would have us do? " 

"The things which God would have you do' ' Jesus 
answered, "is to believe in God's Messenger." 

"What sign, then, are you giving, so that we 
may see it, and so believe you. What is the work 
you are doing?" they asked. "Our ancestors had 
manna to eat in the desert, for Scripture says — 
l He gave them bread from Heaven to eaV " 

"Believe me, " Jesus replied, "Moses did not 
give you the bread from Heaven, but my Father 
does give you the true Bread from Heaven ; for 
the Bread that God gives is that which comes down 
from Heaven, and gives Life to the World." 

"Master," they said, "give us that bread al- 
ways!" 

"I myself am the Life-giving Bread," Jesus 
said to them; "those who come to me will never 
be hungry, and those who believe in me will never 
be thirsty anymore. But, as I have said already, 
you have actually seen me, and yet you do not be- 
lieve in me. All whom the Father gives me will come 
to me; and no one who comes to me will I ever turn 
away. I have come down from Heaven — not to 
do my own will — but the will of Him who sent me; 
and His will is this — that I should not lose one of 
all those whom He has given me, but should raise 
them from Death at the Last Day. " Upon this 
the Jews began finding fault with Jesus for saying 
that He was the Bread which came down from 
Heaven. 

"Is not this Jesus, Joseph's son? " they asked, 
"whose father and mother we know? How is it 









THE LIFE SUPREME. 115 

that He says now that He has come down from 
Heaven?" 

"Do not find fault with me among yourselves," 
said Jesus in reply. "No one can come to me, 
unless the Father who sent me draws him to me; 
and then I will raise him from death at the Last 
Day. It is said in the Prophet — 'And they shall all 
be taught by God.' All who are instructed by the 
Father and learn from Him come to me. Not that 
anyone has seen the Father, with the exception of 
the one who is from God; He has seen the Father. 
I assure you, those who believe in me have Endur- 
ing Life. I myself am the Life-giving Bread. 
Your forefathers had manna to eat in the desert, 
and yet died. The Bread that comes down from 
Heaven is such that anyone may eat of it, and 
never die. I myself am the Living Bread that has 
come down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this 
Bread, he will live forever; yes, and the Bread 
which I shall give is my flesh, which I will give 
for the Life of the World." Upon this the Jews 
began disputing with one another: 

"How is it possible for this man to give us His 
flesh to eat?" 

"Believe me", Jesus answered, "unless you eat 
the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, 
you have not Life abiding within you. Those 
who take my flesh for their food, and drink my 
blood, have enduring Life; and I will raise them 
from death at the Last Day. For my flesh is true 
food and my blood true drink. Those who take 
my flesh for their food and drink my blood are al- 
ways in union with me, and I with them. As the 



116 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Living Father made me His Messenger, and as I 
live because the Father does, so those who take 
me for food will live because I do. Such then, is the 
Bread that has come down from Heaven — not such 
as your forefathers ate, and yet died; those who 
take this Bread for food will live for ever. " 
All this Jesus said in a Synagogue, when He was 
teaching in Capernaum. 

3. Desertion On hearing, it many of His 

of Many disciples said: 

Disciples "This is a hard saying! 

Who can bear to listen to it? " 

But Jesus conscious of the fact that His disciples 

were finding fault with it, said to them: 

"Is this a hindrance to you? What then if you 
were to see the Son of Man going up to 
where He was before? It is the Spirit that gives 
Life; mere flesh is of no avail. The Truths that 
I have been teaching you are spiritual and life- 
giving; yet there are some of you who do not be- 
lieve them." 

Jesus knew from the first who they were that did 
not believe, and who it was that would betray 
Him, and He added: 

"This is why I told you that no one can come to 
me, unless enabled to do so by the Father. " 
In consequence of this many of His disciples drew 
back, and did not go about with Him any longer. 
So Jesus said to the Twelve: 

"Do you also wish to leave me? " 

"To whom shal] we go, Master? " Simon Peter 
answered. "Your teaching leads to enduring 
Life; and we have learnt to believe and are sure 
that you are the Holy One of God. " 

"Did not I myself choose you to be the Twelve?" 
Jesus replied; "and yet, even of you, one is an 
enemy. ' ' 

He meant Judas, the son of Simeon Iscariot, who 
was about to betray Him, though he was one of 
the Twelve. 



DIVISION IV. 



From the Second to Six Days Before 
the Third Passover. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

1. The Disciples Then some Pharisees and 
Blamed for Neg- Rabbis from Jerusalem came 
lecting Cere- to Jesus, and said: 

monies "How is it that your dis- 

ciples break the traditions of 
our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands 
before a meal. " 

They had noticed that some of His disciples ate 
their food with their hands 'defiled', by which 
they meant unwashed. ( For the Pharisees and 
all the Jews will not eat without first washing 
their hands up to the elbow, keeping to the tra- 
ditions of their ancestors. When they come from 
market, they will not eat without first sprinkling 
themselves; and there are many other things that 
they have accepted as binding, such as the scrup- 



118 THE LIFE SUPREME, 

ulous washing of cups, and jugs, and copper 
pans.) 

His reply was: "How is it that on your side 
you break God's commandments out of respect for 
your own traditions? For God said ' Honor thy 
father and thy mother', and 'Let him who reviles his 
father or mother suffer death', but you say: 

'Whenever anyone says to his father or mother: 
"Whatever of mine might have been of service to 
you is given to God," he is in no way bound to 
honor father or mother', and you do not let him 
do anything further for his mother or father. In 
this way you have cancelled the words of God out 
of respect for your traditions. You think it right, 
do you? " He exclaimed, "to set aside God's com- 
mandments, in order to keep your own traditions! 
Hypocrites! It was well said by Isaiah when he 
prophesied of you — 

'This is a people that honors me ivith their lips, 

While their hearts are far removed from me; 

But vainly do they worship me, 

For their teaching is only the commands of men. ' " 

2. Sin Inward Then Jesus called the people 
Not Outward to Him, and said: 

"Listen and mark my words. 
It is not what goes into a man's mouth, but what 
comes out from it that defiles him!" 
On this His disciples came up to Him and said: 

"Do you know that the Pharisees were shocked 
on hearing what you said? " 

"Every plant," Jesus replied, "that my Heaven- 
ly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Leave 
them to themselves; they are but blind guides; 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 119 

and if one blind man guides another, both of them 
will fall into the ditch. " 
Upon this Peter said to Jesus: 

' 'Will you explain the saying to us? " 
"Have even you so little comprehension still? " 
Jesus exclaimed. "Do you not see that whatever 
enters the mouth passes into the stomach, not into 
the heart, and is afterward expelled?" by which 
words Jesus pronounced all food equally pure. 
"But those things that come out of the mouth pro- 
ceed from the heart, and it is these that defile a 
man. For out of the heart proceed suggestions 
of wickedness, whether murder, adultery, unchas- 
tity, theft, perjury, folly, haughtiness, greed, de- 
ceit, lewdness, envy, or slander. These are the 
things that defile a man; but to eat with unwashed 
hands does not defile a man. " 

3. Cure of a On going away from that 
Heathen Girl place, Jesus retired into the 
country around Tyre and 
Sidon. Here He wanted to enter a house, and did 
not wish anyone to know it, but could not escape 
notice, for a Canaanite woman of Greek descent 
from that district came out and threw herself at 
His feet, and began crying to Jesus: 

"Take pity on me, Master Son of David; 
my daughter is entirely under the power of an 
evil spirit. ' ' 

But not a word did Jesus say in reply. His dis- 
ciples came up and begged Him to send her away. 
"She keeps calling out after us," they said. 

"I have been sent," Jesus replied, "to no one 
except the lost sheep of Israel." For all this the 



120 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

woman came and bending low before Him, said: 
"Master, help me! " "Let the children have 
enough first, " Jesus answered. "It is not fair to 
take the children's food and throw it to dogs." 
"Yes, Master," she said, "for dogs do feed on the 
children's scraps that fall from their owner's table. " 
"Your faith is great," was His reply to the 
woman; "it shall be as you wish!" 
And her daughter was cured that very moment, 
for the woman went home, and found the child 
lying on her bed, and the evil spirit gone. 

4. Cure of a On returning from the district 
Deaf of Tyre, Jesus went, by way 

Stammerer of Sidon, to the Lake of Gali- 
lee, right across the district of 
the Ten Towns. There some people brought to 
Him a man who was deaf and stammered, and they 
begged Jesus to place His hand on him. Jesus 
took him aside from the crowd so as not to attract 
attention, put His fingers into the man's ears, and 
touched his tongue wiih saliva. Then, looking 
up to Heaven, He sighed, and said to the man: 
"Ephphatha!" which means 'Open'. 
The man's ears were opened, the string of his 
tongue was freed, and he began talking plainly. 

Jesus insisted upon their not telling anyone; but 
the more He insisted, the more perseveringly they 
made it known, and a profound impression was 
made upon the people. 

"How well He has done everything! " they said. 
"He makes even the deaf to hear and the dumb to 
speak! " 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 121 

5. Jesus Cures On quitting that place, Jesus 
Many Persons went to the shore of the Lake 

of Galilee; and then went up 
the hill, and sat down there. There crowds of peo- 
ple flocked to Him from all sides, bringing with 
them all who were lame, crippled, blind, or dumb, 
and many others. They put them down at His 
feet, and He cured them — to the astonishment of 
the crowd, seeing, as they did, dumb people talk- 
ing, cripples restored to health, lame men walking- 
about, and the blind with their sight restored; and 
they praised the God of Israel. 

6. Four Thous- Afterwards Jesus called His 

and Fed disciples to Him, and said: 

"My heart is touched at the 
steht of all these people; they have already been 
with me three days and they have nothing to 
eat; and I am unwilling to send them away to their 
homes hungry, they will faint on the road; and 
some of them are from a long distance. 

"Where can we," His disciples asked, "in a 
lonely place like this, find all the bread necessary 
for such a crowd as this to have plenty? " 

"How many loaves have you? '' said Jesus. 

"Seven," they answered, "and a few small 
fish." 

Then, having told the crowd to sit down on the 
ground, He took the seven loaves and the fish, 
and giving thanks, broke them up and proceeded 
to give them to the disciples, who gave them to 
the crowds. Every one had plenty to eat, and 
spare pieces enough were taken away to fill seven 
baskets. There were four thousand who partook 



122 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

of the meal, without counting women and children. 
Then after dismissing the crowds, Jesus got into 
the boat, and went to the neighborhood of Dal- 
manutha (Magdala.) 

7. A Sign From Here the Pharisees and Sad- 

the Sky ducees came up, and by way of 

Asked For testing Him, requested Him 

to show them some sign of 

His power from the sky. He answered them in 

this way — 

"In the evening you say 'It will be fine weather, 
for the sky is as red as fire\ But in the morning 
you say 'To-day it will be stormy, for the sky is 
as red as fire and threatening.' You learn to read 
the sky; yet you are unable to read the signs of 
the times! It is a wicked and an unfaithful genera- 
tion that is asking for a sign, and no sign will be 
given it except the sign of Jonah." 

So He left them and getting into the boat again, 
crossed over to the other side. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

1. Warning Now the disciples had forgot- 

Against False ten to take any bread, having 
Teaching not more than half a loaf in 
the boat. Presently Jesus said 
to them: 

"Take care and be on your guard against the 
leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and the 
leaven of Herod. " 

The disciples began discussing among them- 
selves their having brought no bread. On noticing 
this Jesus said: . 

"Why are you discussing among yourselves 
your being short of bread? How little faith you 
have! Are your minds so slow of comprehension? 
'Though you have eyes do you not see? and though you 
have ears do you not hear? ' Do you not yet under- 
stand or remember the five loaves for the five 
thousand men, and how many basketfuls you had 
left?" 

"Twelve," they said. 

Nor yet the seven loaves for the four thousand 
people, and how many basketfuls you picked up?" 
"Seven, " they said. 

"How is it that you do not understand that I was 
not referring to bread when I spoke to you, but I 



124 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

told you to be on your guard against the leaven of 
the Pharisees and Sadducees." 
Then they saw that He had told them to be on their 
guard not against the leaven of bread, but against 
the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

2. Cure of a Presently they came to Beth- 
Blind Man saida. Here some people 

brought a blind man to Jesus, 
and begged Jesus to touch him. Taking the blind 
man's hand He led him to the outskirts of the vil- 
lage, and when He had put saliva on the man's eyes, 
placed His hands on him, and asked him if he 
could make out anything. The man looked up, 
and said: 

"I can make out the people, for, as they walk 
about they look to me like trees. " 
Then Jesus again placed His hands on the man's 
eyes; and the man looked hard, and his sight was 
restored, and he made out everything distinctly. 
Jesus sent him home, telling him not even to go 
into the village. 

3. Jesus Owned On coming into the neighbor - 
as the Christ hood of Caesarea Philippi 

while yet on the road and after 
He had prayed, Jesus asked His disciples this 
question: 

"Who do people say the Son of Man is? " 
"Some say 'John the Baptist,' " they answered, 
"others, however, say that he is 'Elijah,' while 
others again say he is 'Jeremiah, ' or 'One of the 
Prophets.'" 

' 'But you, ' ' He said, ' 'who do you say that lam?" 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 125 

And to this Simon Peter answered: 
"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

"Happy are you, Simon son of Jonah!" Jesus 
answered, "From no human source was this re- 
vealed to you; but from my Heavenly Father ! And 
I, in turn, say to you, your name is Peter, a Rock, 
and on this Rock I will build my Church, and the 
Powers of the Place of Death shall not prevail over 
it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of 
Heaven. Whatever you forbid on Earth will be 
held in Heaven to be forbidden, and whatever you 
allow on Earth will be held in Heaven to be 
allowed. ' ' 

Then He impressed on the disciples not to tell 
anyone that He was the Christ. 

4. Jesus At that time Jesus Christ be- 

For etells His gan to point ou t to His disciples 
Death that He had to go to Jerusalem , 

and had much to under go at the 
hands of, and that He must be rejected by the 
Councillors, Chief Priests, and Rabbis, and that 
He must be put to death, and rise from the grave on 
the third day. This statement He made unfalter- 
ingly. 

But Peter drew Jesus to him, and began to 
remonstrate with Him. "God help you, Master!" 
he said, "that shall never be your fate. " 

Turning round and seeing His disciples, Jesus 
remonstrated with Peter, saying, — 

"Out of my way, Satan! you are a hindrance to 
me; you look at things not in God's way but in 



126 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

5. A Call to Then Jesus said to His dis- 
Renounce Self ciples and the people: 

"If a man wishes always to 
go where I go, he must renounce himself, take up 
his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wishes 
to save his life will lose it; and whoever for my 
sake and the sake of the GOOD NEWS, loses his 
life — he will save it. What good does it do a man 
if, when he has gained the whole World, he has 
lost or forfeited his life? Indeed what could a 
man give of equal value to his life? For whoever 
is ashamed of me and my teaching, in this unfaith- 
ful and wicked generation, the SON of Man will be 
ashamed of him, when He comes in His own and 
His Father's glory with the holy angels. Then He 
will give each his due in accordance with his actions. 
Believe me, some of those who are standing here 
will certainly not die, till they have seen the King- 
dom of God come in power with the Son of Man 
as King." 

6. The Trans- About six days after speaking 

figuration these words, Jesus went up 
the mountain to pray, taking 
with Him Peter and the brothers James and John. 
As He was praying the appearance of His face be- 
came quite different, and shone like the sun, while 
His clothing became of a glittering whiteness, 
more dazzling than any bleaching in the World 
could produce. Then, suddenly, two men were 
talking with Jesus, who proved to be Moses and 
Elijah. They appeared in a glorified state, and 
spoke of His departure, so soon to come in Jeru- 
salem. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 127 

Peter and his companions had been overpowered 
by sleep, but, suddenly, becoming wide awake 
they saw Jesus in glory and two men who were 
standing beside Him. Just as Moses and Elijah 
were leaving Jesus, Peter exclaimed: 

"Sir, it is good to be here; let us make three 
tents, one for You, one for Moses, and one for 
Elijah." He did not know what he was saying. 
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud envel- 
oped them, and from the cloud was heard a voice, 
which said— 

"This is my Son, my beloved, my Chosen One, 

In whom I delight, 

It is to Him you must listen. " 

The disciples on hearing this fell on their faces, 
and were extremely alarmed. So Jesus went up 
and touched them, saying as He did so: 

"Get up and do not be alarmed." 
And when they raised their eyes they saw no one 
but Jesus by Himself alone. As they were going 
down the mountain side, Jesus told them not to 
speak of the vision to a single person, till after 
the Son of Man had been raised from the dead. 
They clung to these words, keeping silent about 
the vision, and did not at that time tell anyone 
about any of the things they had seen, and dis- 
cussed among themselves what this 'rising from 
the dead' meant. 



CHAPTER XXVI. 

1. Question "How is it," His disciples 
About Elijah asked, "that the Rabbis say 

that Elijah must come first?" 
"It is true that Elijah was to come," Jesus an- 
swered, "and restore every thing, but Elijah has 
already come, I tell you, and people have not 
recognized him, but have treated him just as they 
pleased. In the same way, too, the Son of Man 
is about to suffer at men's hands." 

Then the disciples understood that it was of 
John the Baptist that He had been speaking to 
them. 

2. Cure of an On their joining the other dis- 
Epileptic Boy ciples the next day, they saw 

a great crowd around them, and 
some Rabbis engaged in a discussion with them. 
But directly they saw Jesus, the people, in great 
astonishment, all ran up and greeted Him. 

"What are you discussing with them?" Jesus 
asked. 

"Teacher," one of the people in the crowd 
answered, kneeling to Him, "I brought my 
only son to see you, as he has a dumb 
spirit in him, and wherever it seizes him, it 
dashes him down; he foams at the mout 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 129 

and grinds his teeth, and is pining away. So I 
asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but 
they failed." 

'•Faithless and preverse generation! " Jesus ex- 
claimed. "How long must I be with you? how 
long must I have patience with you? Bring the 
boy to me. " 

So they brought him to Jesus; but when the boy 
saw Him, the spirit at once threw him into a lit; 
and he fell to the ground and rolled about, foam- 
ing at the mouth. 

"How long has he been like this? " Jesus asked 
of the boy's father. 

"From his childhood, " he answered, "and it has 
often thrown him into fire and into water to 
put an end to his life, but if you can possibly do 
anything, for pity's sake help us ! " 

"Why say 'possibly'? " Jesus replied. "Every- 
thing is possible for one who has faith." 

The boy's father immediately cried out; 

"I have faith; help my want of faith! " 

But when Jesus saw that a crowd was quickly 
collecting, He rebuked the wicked spirit: 

"Deaf and dumb spirit, it is I who command you. 
Come out from him and never enter him again. " 

With a loud cry the spirit threw the boy into fit 
after fit, and then came out from him. The 
boy looked like a corpse, so that most of them 
said that he was dead. But Jesus took his hand 
and lifted him; and he stood up. And they were 
all astonished at the majesty of God. When Jesus 
had gone indoors His disciples asked Him privately 
why they could not drive the spirit out. 

(9) 



130 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

' 'Because you have so little faith," Jesus an- 
swered, "for, believe me, if only your faith is like 
a mustard-seed, you can say to this mountain 
'Move from this place to that! ' and it will do so; 
and you will find nothing impossible. A spirit of 
this kind," He said, "can be made to come out only 
by prayer and fasting. " 

3. Jesus a Sec- In the midst of the general 
ond Time Fore- astonishment at all that He 

tells His Death was doing, while Jesus and 
His disciples were traveling 
about Galilee, He said to them, that they must 
listen carefully to what He was saying. 

"For, " He went on, "the Son of Man is about 
to be betrayed into the hands of wicked men who 
will put Him to death, but that, when He has been 
put to death, on the third day He will rise from the 
grave." 

At this the disciples were greatly distressed, 
for they did not understand the meaning of this; 
indeed, it had been concealed from them to prevent 
their seeing it, and they were afraid to question 
Him as to what He meant. 

4. A Question After they had reached Caper - 
about Rates naum, the collectors of the 

one-dollar Temple-rate came 

up to Peter, and said: 

"Does not your Master pay the Temple-rate? " 
"Yes, He does," said Peter. But on Peter's 

entering the house, before he had time to speak, 

Jesus said: 

"What is your opinion, Simon? From whom 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 131 

do earthly kings take toll or taxes? From their 
own sons or from the sons of other people? " 

1 'From those of other people, " Peter answered. 

"Well then, their own sons go free," Jesus went 
on to say. "Still, that we may not scandalize 
them, go and throw a line into the lake; take the 
first fish that rises, open its mouth, and you will 
find a two- dollar piece in it. Take that, and give 
it to the collectors for both of us. " 

5. Lesson in On the same occasion the dis- 
Humility ciples came to Jesus, and 

asked Him to tell them who 
was really the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. 
For while on the way to Capernaum they had been 
debating with one another which was the greatest. 

Jesus called a little child to Him, and placed it 
in the middle of them, and then taking the child 
in His arms, said: 

"If anyone wishes to be first, he must be last of 
all and the servant of all. Believe me, unless you 
quite change, and become like children, you will 
not even enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Any one, 
who shall, therefore, humble himself like this child 
will be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. And 
any one who, f«>r my sake welcomes even one little 
child like this, is welcoming not only me, but Him 
who made me His Messenger. ' ' 

6. Warning "On the other hand, if any 
Against Being one proves a hindrance to one 

a Hindrance to of these lowly ones who are 

Others learning to believe in me, it 

would be best for him to be 



132 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

sunk in the depths of the sea, with a great millstone 
hung round his neck. Alas for the World for such 
hindrances! There cannot but be hindrances; but 
alas! for the man who occasions the hindrance. So 
if your hand or your foot proves a hindrance to 
you, cut it off, and throw it away. It is better for 
you to enter the Life maimed or lame, than to 
keep both hands, or both feet, and be thrown into 
enduring Fire. If your eye proves a hindrance to 
you, take it out, and throw it away. It is better 
for you to enter the Life of the Kingdom of God 
with one eye, than to keep both eyes and be thrown 
into the fiery Pit, where their worm does not die and 
the fire is not put ouV For it is by fire that every 
one shall be preserved, just as salt preserves. 
Salt is a good thing, but if salt should lose its salt- 
ness, what will you use to give it strength? You 
must have salt in yourselves, and live at peace 
with one another. Beware of despising one of 
these lowly ones, for in heaven, I tell you, their 
angels do always see the face of my Heavenly 
Father." 



CHAPTER XXVII. 

1. Parable of the "What is your opinion? If a 

Lost Sheep man owns an hundred sheep, 
and but one of them stray, will 
he not leave the ninety and nine on the hills to 
themselves, and go in search for the one which is 
straying? And if he succeeds in finding it, he re- 
joices more over that one sheep, believe me, than 
over the ninety and nine which did not stray. So, 
too, it is the will of my Heavenly Father that not 
one of these lowly ones should be lost. " 

2. Lesson in Thereupon John said: 
Toleration "Sir, we saw a man driving 

out evil spirits by using your 
name, and we tried to stop him, because he does 
not follow you with us. ** 

"Do not any of you try to stop him," Jesus said 
to John; "the man who is not against you is for 
you. There is no one who will use my name in 
working a miracle and yet find it possible to speak 
ill of me easily. For who is not against us is for 
us. For whoever shall give you a cup of water to 
drink because you are Christ's, I tell you, he shall, 
truly be recompensed. " 



134 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

3. How to Deal * 'If your brother wrongs you, 
with Offenders go to him and convince him of 

his fault when you and he are 
alone. If he listens to you, you have won your 
brother. But if he does not, take with you one or 
two others, so that on the evidence of two or three 
witnesses, every ivord may be put beyond dispute. If 
he refuses to listen to them, speak to the Church; 
and if he also refuses to listen to the Church, treat 
him as you would a heathen or a tax-collector. 
Believe me, all that you forbid on Earth will be 
held in Heaven to be forbidden, and all that you 
allow on Earth will be held in Heaven to be 
allowed. " 

4. Encourage- "And more than this, if but 
ment to United two of you on Earth agree 

Prayer about what they shall pray 

for; whatever it is, it shall be 
granted them by my Heavenly Father. 

' 'For where two or three are assembled as my 
followers, lam there among them." 

5. Parable of the Peter then came up, and said 

Unforgiving to Jesus: 

Servant '"Master how often am I to 

forgive my brother when he 
wrongs me? 

"As many as seven times?" 
"Not merely seven times," Jesus answered, 
"but seventy-seven times." 

"Thus the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared 
to a king who wishes to settle accounts with his 
servants. When he began to do so, a man was 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 135 

brought to him who owed him thirty million dol- 
lars; and as he was unable to pay, his master 
ordered him to be sold towards the payment of the 
debt, with his wife, and his children, and every 
thing that he had. Upon this the servant threw 
himself down on his face, and said 'Have patience 
with me, and I will pay you all. ' 

The master's heart was touched; and he let him 
go, and forgave him his debt. 

But on going out, that same servant came upon 
one of his fellow-servants who owed him fifty 
dollars. Seizing him by the throat, he nearly 
strangled him. 'Pay what you owe me, ' he said. 

At this his fellow-servant threw himself down 
on the ground, and begged for mercy. 'Have 
patience with me,' he said, 'and I will pay you.' 

The other, however, would not do so, but went 
and had him put in prison until he should pay the 
debt. 

When his fellow- servants saw what had happen- 
ed, they were greatly distressed. They went to 
their master, and explained the whole matter to 
him. Upon that the master sent for the servant, and 
said to him, 'You wicked servant!' When you 
begged for mercy, I forgave you the whole debt. 
Ought not you, too, to have shown mercy to your 
fellow-servant, just as I did to you? ' Then his 
master, in his anger, handed him over to the jail- 
ers, until he should pay the whole debt. 

In the same way will my Heavenly Father treat 
you, unless you each forgive your brother from 
your heart. " 



136 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

6. Jesus The time of the Jewish Feast 

Taunted by His of Tabernacles being near, 
Brothers His brothers say to Him: 

"You should leave this part 
of the country, and go into Judaea, so that your 
disciples, as well as we, may see the things you 
are doing. For no one does a thing privately 
when his aim is to be widely known. Since you 
do these things, you should show yourself publicly 
to the World." For even His brothers did not be- 
lieve in Him. 

"My time, " Jesus answered, "is not yet come, 
but your time is here always. The World cannot 
hate you, but it does hate me, because I testify 
that its ways are wicked. Go up to the Festival 
yourselves; I am not going up yet to it, because 
the time for me to do so is not quite come." 
After telling them this He still stayed in Galilee. 



CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1. Jesus at the The Jews were looking for 
Feast of Jesus at the Festival and ask- 

Tabernacles ing where He was, and there 
were many whispers about 
Him among the people, some saying: 

"He is a good man;" others: 

"No, no, He is leading the people astray." No 
one, however, spoke freely about Him for fear of 
the Jews. 

About the middle of the Festival week, Jesus 
went up into the Temple Courts, and began teach- 
ing. The Jews were astonished. 

"How has this man got his learning, when he 
has never studied?" they asked. 
In reply Jesus said: 

"My teaching is not my own; it is His who sent 
me. If anyone has the will to do God's will, he 
will find out whether I speak on my own authority. 
A man who speaks on his own authority is eager 
for honor for himself; but a man who is eager for 
the honor of him who sent him is sincere, and 
there is nothing false about him. Was it not 
Moses who gave you the Law ? Yet none of you 
obey it! Why are you eager to put me to death? " 

' 'You must be possessed ! ' " the people exclaimed. 
"Who is eager to put you to death? " 



138 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"There is one thing which I did, " replied Jesus, 
"at which you are still wondering. This is why 
Moses instituted circumcision among you — not that 
it began with him, but with our ancestors — and 
why you circumcise even on the Sabbath. When 
a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath to pre- 
vent the Law of Moses being broken, how can you 
be angry with me for making a man sound and 
well on a Sabbath? Do not judge by appear- 
ances; judge justly." 

At this some of the people of Jerusalem ex- 
claimed: 

"Is not this the man they are eager to put 
to death? Yet here He is, speaking out boldly, 
and they do not say anything to Him! Is it pos- 
sible that our leading men have really discovered 
that He is the Christ? Yet we know where this 
man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one 
will be able to tell where He is from." 

So Jesus, as He was teaching in the Temple 
Courts, raised His voice, and said: 

"Yes, you know me, and where I came 
from. Yet I have not come on my own 
authority, but He who sent me is trust- 
worthy, and Him you do not know. For my- 
self, I do know Him, for it is from Him that I 
have come, and I am His Messenger." 

This made them eager to arrest Him, but no one 
touched Him, for His time was not yet come. 
Many of the people, however, believed in Him. 

"When the Christ comes," they said, "will He 
give more signs of His Mission than this man 
has?" 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 139 

2. Attempt to The Pharisees heard the peo- 
Arrest Jesus pie whispering about Him in 

this way, and so the Chief 
Priests and Pharisees sent constables to arrest 
Him; on which Jesus said: 

"I shall be with you but a little longer, and 
then I am going to Him who sent me. You will 
look for me, and you will not find me; and you 
will not be able to go where I shall be. " 

"Where is He going?" the Jews asked one 
another, "that we shall not find Him? Will He go 
to our countrymen scattered among the Greeks? 
What does He mean by saying, 'you will look for 
me and you will not find me; and you will not be 
able to go where I shall be? ' ' ' 

3. Jesus Pro- On the last and greatest day 
claims Himself of the Festival, Jesus who 
the Fountain of was standing by, exclaimed: 

Living Water "If any one is thirsty, let 

him come to me, and drink. 
Prom the heart of those who believe in me will 
flow, as is said in Scripture, rivers of living water." 
( By this He meant the Spirit, which those who 
believed in Him were to receive, for the Spirit 
had not yet come, because Jesus had not yet been 
exalted). 

Some of the people when they heard these 
words exclaimed: 

"This is certainly the Prophet!" others: 

"This is the Christ!"; but some said: "What! 
does the Christ come from Galilee? Is it not 
said in Scripture that it is of the race of David, 



140 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

and from Bethlehem, the village to which David 
belonged, that the Christ is to come?" 

So there was a division of opinion among the 
people on His account. Some wanted to arrest 
Him, but yet no one touched Him. When the 
constables returned to the Chief Priests and the 
Pharisees, they were met with the question: 

"Why have you not brought Him. " 

"No one has ever spoken as He has!" they 
answered. 

"What! have you been led astray too?" the 
Pharisees replied. "Have any of our leading men 
believed on Him, or any of the Pharisees? As for 
these people who do not know the Law — they are 
cursed." 

But one of their number, Nicodemus, who had 
formerly visited Jesus, said to them: 

"Does our Law pass judgment on a man without 
first giving him a hearing, and finding out what he 
has been doing? " 

"Are you also from Galilee? " they retorted. 

"Search, and you will find that no Prophet is to 
arise in Galilee." 

4. About an And everyone went to his own 
Adulteress home except Jesus, who went 
to the Mount of Olives. 
But He went again into the Temple Courts early 
in the morning, where all the people came to Him; 
and He sat down and taught them. Presently, 
however, the Rabbis and Pharisees brought a 
woman who had been caught in adultery, and 
placed her in the midst of the Court, and said to 
Jesus: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 141 

"Teacher this woman was found in the very act 
of adultery. Now, Moses in the Law, commanded 
us to stone such a woman to death; what do you 
say?" They said this to test Him, in order to 
have a charge to bring against Him. 

But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground 
with his finger. However, as they continued ask- 
ing Him, He raised himself, and said: 

"Let the man among you who has never done 
wrong throw the first stone at her. " 

And again He stooped down, and wrote on the 
ground. When they heard that, they went out, one 
by one, beginning with the eldest; and Jesus was left 
alone with the woman in the middle of the Court. 
Raising Himself, Jesus said to her: 

"Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn 
you? " 

"No one, Master," she answered. 

"Nor do I condemn you," Jesus said, "go, and 
never sin again." 



CHAPTER XXIX. 

1. Jesus the Jesus again addressed the 
Light of the people: 

World "I am the Light of the 

World. Those who follow me 
will never have to walk in darkness, but will have 
the Light of Life. " 

"You are bearing testimony to yourself!" the 
Pharisees exclaimed, "your testimony is not trust- 
worthy." 

"Even if I do so," answered Jesus, "my testi- 
mony is trustworthy; for I know where I came 
from, and where I am going; but you do not know 
where I came from, or where I am going. You 
are judging by appearances, I am not judging 
any one. Yet even if I were to judge, my decis- 
ions would be trustworthy; because I am not alone, 
but I have with me the Father who sent me. 
Why, in your own Law it is said that the testimony 
of two persons is trustworthy. I, who bear testi- 
mony to myself, am one, and the Father who sent 
me is the second." 

"Where is your father, then? " they asked. 

"You do not know either me or my Father," 
Jesus replied; "if you had known me, you would 
have known my Father too. " 






THE LIFE SUPREME. 143 

These statements were made by Jesus in the 
Treasury, while He was teaching in the Temple 
Courts. Yet no one arrested Him, for His time 
had not then come. 

2. Jesus Defends Jesus again spoke to them : 
His Mission "I am going," He said, "and 

and Authority you will look for me, yet you 
will die in your sin; you can- 
not come where I am going." 

"Is He going to kill himself," the Jews exclaim- 
ed, "that He says that we cannot go where He is 
going?" 

"You, " Jesus added, "are from below, I am 
from above; you are of this present world, I am 
not; and so I told you that you would die in your 
sins; for unless you believe that I am what I say, 
you will die in your sins. " 

"Who are you? " they asked. 

"Why ask the very thing about which I have 
been speaking all along? " said Jesus. 

' 'I have still much that concerns you to speak of 
and to pass judgment on; yet He who sent me is 
trustworthy, and the things that I speak of to the 
World are only those I have learnt from Him." 

They did not understand that He meant the 
Father. So Jesus added: 

"When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then 
you will understand that I am what I say, and that 
I do nothing of myself, but that I speak just as 
the Father has taught me. Moreover, He who 
sent me is with me; He has not left me alone; for I 
always do what pleases Him." 

As He was speaking in this way many believed 



144 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

in Him. So Jesus went on to say to those Jews 
who had believed Him: 

"If you remain constant to my teaching, then 
even you are really my disciples; and you will find 
out the Truth, and the Truth will set you free." 

"We are descendants of Abraham," was their 
answer, " and have never yet been in slavery to 
any one. What do you mean by saying 'you will 
be set free'?" 

"Believe me," Jesus replied, "all who sin are 
slaves to sin. Now a slave does not remain in the 
home always; but a son does. So then if the Son 
sets you free, then you will be free without doubt. 
I know that you are descendants of Abraham; yet 
you are eager to put me to death, because my 
teaching finds no place in your hearts. I tell you 
only what I have seen myself when in the presence 
of the Father. Your part therefore is to do what 
you have learnt from the Father." 

"Our father is Abraham," was their answer. 

"If you are Abraham's children," Jesus answer- 
ed, "do what Abraham did. But, as it is, you are 
eager to put me to death — a man who has told you 
the Truth as He heard it from God. Abraham did 
not act in that way. You are doing what your own 
father does." 

"We are not bastards," they said, "we have one 
Father — God himself. " 

"If God were your father," Jesus replied, "you 
would love me, for I came out of God himself, and 
am now here; nor have I come of myself, but I am 
His Messenger. Why is ifc that you do not under- 
stand what I say? It is because you cannot bear 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 145 

to listen to my Message. As for you, you are the 
children of your father the Devil, and you are 
determined to do what your father loves to do. 
He was a murderer from the first, and has noplace 
in the Truth, because there is no truth in him. 
Whenever he lies he is doing what is natural to 
him; because he is a liar, and the father of lying. 
But, as for me, it is because I speak the Truth to 
you that you do not believe me. Which of you can 
convict me of sin? W T hy then do you not believe 
me, if I am speaking the truth? God's children 
listen to God's teaching; the reason why you do 
not listen is because you are not God's children." 

"Are we not right after all," the Jews replied, 
"in saying that you are a Samaritan, and are 
possessed? " 

"I am not possessed," Jesus answered, "but I 
am showing reverence for my Father; and yet you 
have no reverence for me. Not that I am eager 
for honor for myself; there is One who is eager 
for my honor, and He decides. Believe me, if any- 
one lays my Message to heart, he will never really 
die." 

"Now we are sure that you are possessed," the 
Jews replied. "Abraham died, and so did the 
Prophets, and yet you say, 'if any one lays my 
Message to heart, he will never die.' Are you 
greater than our ancestor Abraham, who died? 
And the Prophets died too. Whom do you make 
yourself out to be? " 

"If I do honor to myself," Jesus answered, such 
honor counts for nothing. It is my Father who 
does me honor — and you say that He is your God; 

(10) 



146 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

and yet you have not learnt to know Him; but I 
know Him; and if I were to say that I do not, I 
should be a liar like you; but I do know Him, and 
I lay His Message to heart. Your ancestor Abra- 
ham rejoiced that he would see my day; and he did 
see it, and was glad indeed. " 

"You are not fifty years old yet," the Jews ex- 
claimed, "and have you seen Abraham? " 

"Believe me," Jesus replied, "before Abraham 
was born I was already what I am. " 

At this they took up stones to throw at Him; but 
Jesus hid himself, and left the Temple Courts. 









CHAPTER XXX. 

1. Jesus Cures Jesus in passing, noticed a 
a Man Born Blind man who had been blind from 

his birth. 

"Rabbi, " the disciples asked, "who was it that 
sinned, this man or his parents, that he should 
have been born blind? " 

"It was not that the man sinned, or his parents 
either," Jesus replied; "but he was born blind 
that what God is doing might be exhibited in his 
case. We must do what He who sent me is doing, 
while it is day; night is coming, when no one can 
do anything. As long as I am in the World, I am 
the light of the World. " 

Saying this, Jesus spat on the ground, made 
paste with the saliva, and put it on the man's 
eyes. 

"Go," He said, "and wash your eyes in the 
Bath of Siloam" (a word which means 'Messenger'). 

So the man went and washed his eyes, and re- 
turned able to see. 

2. Talk of the Upon this the neighbors, and 
Blind Man's those who had known him 

Neighbors formerly by sight as a beggar, 
exclaimed: 
"Is not this the man who used to sit and beg? " 



148 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"Yes, it is," some said, while others said: 

"No, but he is like him." 

He himself said: 

"I am the man." 

"How did you get your sight then?" they asked. 

"The man they call Jesus," he answered, "made 
paste, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, 'Go 
to Siloam, and wash your eyes. ' So I went, and 
washed my eyes, and gained my sight. " 

"Where is He? " they asked. 

"I do not know," he answered. 

3. The Blind They then took the man who 
Man Questioned had been blind to the Phari- 
by the Pharisees sees. Now it was the Sabbath 

when Jesus made the paste 
and gave him his sight. So the man was again 
questioned — this time by the Pharisees — as to 
how he gained his sight. 

"He put paste on my eyes, " he answered, "and 
I washed them, and I can see.' ' 

"The man is not from God," said some of the 
Pharisees, "for He does not keep the Sabbath.'' 

"How is it possible," others retorted, "for a 
bad man to give signs like this? " 
So there was a division of opinion among them. 
They again questioned the man: 

"What do you yourself say about Him, now 
that He has given you your sight? " 

"He is a Prophet," the man replied. 

4. The Blind The Jews, however, refused 
Man's Parents to believe that he had been 

Questioned blind, and had gained his 
sight, until they had called 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 149 

his parents, and questioned them. 

"Is this your son, who you say was born blind?" 
they asked. "If so, how is it that he can see 
now? " 

"We know that this is our son," the parents re- 
plied, "and we know that he was born blind; but 
how it is that he can see now we do not know; 
nor do we know who it was that gave him his 
sight. Ask him himself — he is old enough — he 
will tell you about himself. " 

His parents spoke in this way because they were 
afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already 
agreed, that if anyone should acknowledge Jesus 
as the Christ, he should be expelled from their 
synagogues. This is why his parents said, 'ask 
him himself, he is old enough. ' 

5. The Blind So the Jews again called the 

Man Further man who had been blind, and 
Questioned said to him: 

"Give the honor of your 
cure to God; we know that this is a bad man." 

"I do not know about His being a bad man," he 
replied; "one thing I do know, that although I 
was blind, I can now see. " 

"What did He do to you? " they asked. "How 
did He give your sight? " 

"I told you just now/' he answered, "and you 
did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? 
You, surely, do not want to become His disciples?" 

"You are His disciple, " they retorted scornfully; 
' 'but we are disciples of Moses. We know that 
God spoke to Moses, but as for this man we do 
not know where He comes from." 



150 TEE LIFE SUPREME. 

"Well", the man replied, "this is very strange; 
you do not know where He comes from, and yet 
He has given me my sight! 

We know that God never listens to bad men, 
but when a man is religious and does God's will, 
God listens to him. Since the World began, such 
a thing has never been heard of as any one giving 
sight to a person born blind. If this man had not 
been from God, He could not have done anything 
at all. " 

"You," they retorted, "were born totally de- 
praved; and is it for you to teach us?" So they 
put him out. 

6. Jesus Tells Jesus heard of their having 

the Blind Man put him out; and when He 
■who He Is found the man, He asked: 

"Do you believe in the Son 
of Man? " 

"Who is He, Master," he replied, "so that I may 
believe in Him? " 

"You have already seen Him, " Jesus said; "and 
He it is who is now speaking to you." 

"Then, Master, I do believe," the man said, 
bending low before Him; and Jesus added: 

"I came into the World to carry out God's de- 
cisions, in order that those that cannot see may 
see, and that those that can see may become blind. " 

Hearing this, some of the Pharisees who were 
with Him said: 

"Then are we blind too? " 

"If you had been blind," Jesus replied, "you 
would have had no sin to answer for; but as it is, 
you say, 'We can see'; so your sin remains. " 



CHAPTER XXXI. 

1. Christ the 4 'Believe me, any one who 
Door does not go into the sheepfold 

through the door, but climbs 
up at some other place, is undoubtedly a thief and 
a robber; but the man who goes in through the 
door is shepherd of the sheep. For him the watch- 
man opens the door; and the sheep listen to his 
voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and 
leads them out. When he has got his own sheep 
all out, he walks in' front of them, and the sheep 
follow him, because they know his voice. They 
will never follow a stranger, bat will run away 
from him; because they do not know a stranger's 
voice. " Jesus gave them this illustration; yet they 
did not understand of what He was speaking. So 
He continued: 

"I, believe me, am the Door for the sheep. All 
who 'came before me were thieves and robbers;' 
but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the 
Door, those who go in through me are safe, and 
they will go in and out and find pasture. The 
thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy, I 
have come that they may have Life and have it in 
abundance." Then Jesus said: 

"Come unto me, all of you who labor and 



152 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

are heavily burdened, and I will give you 
rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of 
me; for I am gentle, and humble in heart; 
and you will find rest for your souls. For my 
yoke is easy and my burden is light." 

2. The Good "I am the Good Shepherd. A 
Shepherd good shepherd lays down his 
life lor his sheep. A hired 
man who is not the shepherd, and does not 
own the sheep, when he sees the wolf coming, 
leaves them, and runs away; then the wolf catches 
them and scatters the flock. It is because he is 
only a hired man that he does this, and because 
he does not care about the sheep. I am the Good 
Shepherd, I know my sheep, and my sheep know 
me — just as the Father knows me and I know the 
Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. I 
have other sheep besides, who do not belong to 
this fold; I must lead those also, and they will lis- 
ten to my voice, and they will become one flock 
under one Shepherd. This is why the Father loves 
me, because I lay down my life— to receive it 
again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down 
of myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I 
have authority to receive it again. This is the 
command which I received from my Father." 
In consequence of these words, a division of opin- 
ion again arose among the Jews. Many of them 
said: 

''He is possessed, and is mad; why do you listen 
to Him?" Others said: 

"This is not the teaching of one possessed by 
an evil spirit. Can an evil spirit give sight to the 
blind?" 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 153 

3. Further As the days before His being- 
Lesson in taken up to Heaven were grow- 

Toleration ing few, Jesus set His face 
resolutely in the direction of 
Jerusalem; and He sent on messengers in advance. 
On their way they went into a Samaritan village 
to make preparations for Him. The people there 
did not welcome Him, because His face was set in 
the direction of Jerusalem; and when James and 
John saw this they said: 

' 'Master, do you wish us to call for fire to come 
down from the sky and consume them? " 

But Jesus turned and rebuked them; and so they 
found their way to a different village. 

4. Test of Here, while they were still on 
Sincerity their way, a Rabbi said to 

Jesus: 

"I will follow you wherever you go." 

"F'oxes have holes," replied Jesus, "and wild 
birds have roosts, but the Son of Man has nowhere 
to lay his head." To another man Jesus said: 

"Follow me. " 

"Give me leave," the man replied, "to go and 
bury my father first. " But Jesus said: 

"Leave dead men to bury their own dead, but 
go yourself and carry far and wide the News of 
the Kingdom of God." 

"Master, " said another, "I will follow you; but 
give me leave to say good-bye to my family first". 
But Jesus answered: 

"No one who looks back, after putting his hand 
to the plough, is fitted for the Kingdom of God. " 



154 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

5. Mission of After this, the Master ap- 
the Seventy -two pointed seventy-two other dis- 
ciples, and sent them on, two 

by two, in advance, to every town and place that 
He was Himself intending to visit. 

"The harvest," He said, "is heavy, but the 
laborers are few. So pray to the Owner of the 
harvest to send laborers to do the harvesting. 
Now, go. Remember that I am sending you out 
like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse 
with you, or a bag, or shoes; and do not stop to 
wish well to any one on your journey. Whatever 
house you go to stay at, begin by praying for a 
blessing upon it. Then, if any one there proves 
deserving of a blessing, your blessing will stay 
upon him; but if not, it will come back upon your- 
selves. Remain at that same house, and eat and 
drink whatever they offer you; for the worker is 
worth his wages. Do not keep changing from 
one house to another. Whatever town you go to 
stay at, if the people welcome you, eat what is set 
before you, cure the sick there, and tell the people, 
'The Kingdom of God is close at hand.' But what 
ever town you go to stay at, and the people do not 
welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 'We 
wipe off the very dust of your town which has 
stuck to our feet, but, for all that, you may be 
certain that the Kingdom of God is close at hand. ' 
I tell you, that the doom of Sodom will be more 
bearable on That Bay than the doom of that town." 

6. Doom of the Then He began to upbraid the 

Towns of cities in which most of His 
Galilee great works were done, be- 

cause they had not repented. 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 155 

"Alas for you, Chorazin! Alas for you, Bethsaidal 
For if the miracles which have been done in you 
had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have 
sat in sack-cloth and ashes, and repented long ago. 
Yet the doom of Tyre and Sidon will be more 
bearable in the Judgment than yours. And you, 
too, Capernaum! Will you exalt yourself to Heaven? 
You shall go doion to the Place of Death; for if the 
miracles had been done in Sodom which were done 
in you, it would have remained to this present 
day. But I say to you, that it shall be more bear- 
able for the land of Sodom in the Day of Judgment? 
than for you." 

7. Encourage- "Those who listen to you are 
ment of the listening to me, and those who 
Seventy-two reject you are rejecting me; 

while those who reject me are 
rejecting Him who made me His Messenger." 

8. Return of the When the seventy-two re- 

Seventy-two turned, they were exceedingly 
happy. 

"Master, " they said, "even the evil spirits sub- 
mit to us when we use your name." And Jesus 
replied : 

"I have had visions of Satan, fallen, like a flash 
of lightning from the sky. Listen I have given 
you the power to trample upon serpents and scor- 
pions, and to meet all the strength of the Enemy. 
Nothing shall in the least harm you. Yet do not 
find your happiness in the fact that the spirits sub- 
mit to you, but in the fact that your names have 
been enrolled in Heaven. " 



156 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

9. Blindness of At that same time, moved by 

Human Wisdom the Holy Spirit, Jesus said in 

exultation: 

' 'I thank thee Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth, 

that, though thou hast hidden these things entirely 

from the wise and clever, thou hast revealed them 

to the childlike! Yes, Father, I thank thee that 

this has seemed good to thee. Everything has 

been committed to me by My Father, nor does any 

one know who the Son is but the Father, and who 

the Father is, except the Son and any one to whom 

the Son chooses to reveal Him." Then turning 

to His disciples, Jesus said specially to them: 

' 'Happy are those who have eyes to see what 
you are seeing; for, I tell you, many Prophets and 
Kings wished for the sight of the things which 
you are seeing, and yet never had it, and to hear 
the things which you are hearing, yet never heard 
them. " 



CHAPTER XXXII. 

1. Question Just then a Teacher of the 
About the Law, by way of further testing 

Commandments Jesus, stood forward and said: 
"Teacher, what must I do if 
I am to 'share enduring life'? " 

"What is said in the Law? " replied Jesus. 

"What do you read there? " His reply was: 

" 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God ivith all thy 
heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, 
and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as if he were 
thyself.'" 

"You have answered right", said Jesus, "do that 
and you will live." 

2. The Good But the man wanting to make 
Samaritan out a case for himself, said 

to Jesus: 

"And who is my neighbor?" To which Jesus 
replied: 

"A man was once going down from Jerusalem to 
Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers, who 
stripped him of everything, and beat him, and then 
went off leaving him half dead. It so happened 
that a Priest chanced to be going down by that 
road. He saw the man, but passed by on the 
opposite side. In the same way a Levite, too, 



158 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

came up to the spot, but when he saw him, passed 
by on the opposite side. But a Samaritan, travel- 
ling that way, came up to the man, and when he 
saw him, his heart melted at the sight. He went 
to him and bound up his wounds, dressing them 
with oil and wine, and then putting him on his 
own animal, led him to an inn, where he took care 
of him. The next day he took out one-dollar, and 
gave it to the inn-keeper. 'Take care of him', 
he said, 'and what more you spend I will myself 
repay on my way back'. Now which of these three 
men," asked Jesus, "do you think, proved himself 
a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers 
hands?" 

"The one who took pity on him", was the 
answer, on which Jesus said: 

"Go and do the same yourself." 

3. The Sisters As they continued their jour- 
of Bethany ney, Jesus came to a village, 
where a woman by the name 
of Martha welcomed Him to her house. Martha 
had a sister called Mary, who seated herself at 
the Master's feet, and listened to His teaching; 
but Martha herself was distracted by the many 
preparations she was making. So she went to 
Jesus and said: 

' 'Master do you approve of my sister leaving 
me to make preparations alone? Tell her to help 
me." 

"Martha, Martha," the Master replied, "you are 
anxious and worry yourself about many things; 
yet only a few are necessary — or indeed only one. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 159 

Mary has made a good choice, and it is one that 
shall not be taken away from her. " 

4. The Disciples' One day Jesus was in a cer- 

Prayer tain place praying, and when 

He had finished, one of His 
disciples said to Him: 

' 'Master, teach us to pray, as John taught His 
disciples." 

"When you pray, " Jesus answered, "you should 
say — "Father, 

May thy Name be held holy, and thy Kingdom 
come. 

Give us each day our bread for the day before us; 
And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves, too, 
forgive every one in debt to us; 
And do not take us into temptation". 

5. Persistence Jesus also said to them: 

in Prayer "Suppose one of you who has 
a friend were to go to him in 
the middle of the night and say, 'Friend, lend me 
three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived at 
my house after a journey, and I have nothing to 
offer him'; and suppose the other should answer 
from inside, 'Do not trouble me; the door is al- 
ready fastened and my children and I are gone to 
bed; 1 cannot get up and give you anything'. 
I assure you that, even if he will not get up and 
give him anything because he is a friend, yet be- 
cause of his friend's persistence he will rouse him- 
self and give him all he needs. ' ' 

6. Encourage- "So I say to you — Ask and 
ment to Prayer your prayer will be granted; 

search and you will find; knock, 



160 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

and the door will be opened to you. Indeed it is 
always those that ask who get, those that search 
who find, and those that knock to whom the door 
will be opened. What father among yourselves, 
if his son asks him for a fish, will give him a snake 
instead, or if he asks for an egg, will give him a 
scorpion? Well then, if you, wicked as you long 
have been, know how to give good gifts to your 
children, how much more will your Heavenly 
Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask 
Him." 

7. Cure of a Once Jesus was driving out a 

Dumb Man dumb spirit, and when the 

evil spirit left him, the dumb 

man spoke. The people were astonished at this. 

Some of them said: 

' k He drives out evil spirits by the help of Baal- 
zebub, their own chief"; while others, by way of 
testing Him, asked Him for some sign of His power 
from the sky. Jesus Himself, however, was aware 
of what they were thinking, and said to them: 

"Any kingdom altogether at variance within 
itself is on the way to desolation; and a divided 
house falls. So, too, if Satan is altogether at 
variance with himself, how can his kingdom last? 
Yet you say that I drive out evil spirits by the 
help of Baal-zebub. But if it is by Baal-zebub's 
help that I drive out evil spirits, by whose help is 
it that your own sons drive them out? Therefore 
they shall themselves be your judges. But if it is 
by the hand of God that I drive out evil spirits, 
then the Kingdom of God must already be 'upon 
you. When a strong man is keeping guard, fully 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 161 

armed, over his own mansion, his property is in 
safety; but as soon as a still stronger attacks and 
gets the better of him, he takes away all the 
weapons on which the other had relied, and divides 
the spoil. Those who are not with me are against 
me, and those who do not join me in gathering are 
scattering. No sooner does a wicked spirit leave 
a man, than it passes through places where there 
is no water, in search of rest; and failing to find it, 
it says: 

'I will return to my house from which I came 
out.' On its arrival it finds it swept out and set 
in. order. Then it goes and brings with it seven 
other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go 
in and make their home there; and the latter state 
of that man proves worse than the earlier. 

Such, too, will be the case with this wicked 
generation." 



(id 



CHAPTER XXXIII 

1. A Sign Asked As the crowds grew thicker, 

Jesus began by saying: 
"The present generation is a wicked one. It 
asks for a sign, and no sign shall be given it except 
the sign of Jonah. For as Jonah proved a sign 
to Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to the pres- 
ent generation. The Queen of the South will rise 
up at the Judgment, side by side with the men of 
this genera bion, and will condemn them, because 
she came from the very ends of the Earth to listen 
to the wisdom of Solomon; and here is more than 
a Solomon! The men of Nineveh will stand up at 
the Judgment, side by side with this generation, 
and will condemn it, because they repented at 
Jonah's proclamation; and here is more than a 
Jonah!" 

2. Lesson from Jesus also told this story: 

a Lamp ' 'No one puts a light to a 

lamp, and then sets it in a 
cellar or covers it over, but he sets it on the lamp- 
stand, so that anyone who comes in may see the 
light. The lamp of the body is the eye. When 
your eye is unclouded, your whole body, too, is 
lighted up; but so soon as your eye is diseased, 
your body, too, is dark. Take care, therefore, that 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 163 

the inner Light is not darkness. And then if your 
whole body is lighted up, and no corner of it 
dark, the whole will be as much lighted up as 
when a lamp gives you its brilliant light." 

3. Jesus As Jesus finished speaking a 

Denounces the Pharisee asked Him to lunch 

Pharisees with him, and Jesus went in 

and sat down at table. 

The Pharisee noticed, to his astonishment, that 

Jesus had not washed before lunch. But the 

Master said to him : 

"You Pharisees do, it is true, clean the outside 
of the cup, and of the plate, while inside you are 
full of grasping and wickedness. Pools! did not 
the maker of the outside make the inside too? 
Still if you give away the contents in charity, then 
at once you have the whole clean. But alas! for 
you Pharisees — because you pay tithes on mint, 
rue, and herbs of all kinds, and pass over justice 
and love to God. These last you ought to 
have put in practice without neglecting the first. 
Alas! for you Pharisees — because you like to have 
the front seats in the Synagogues, and to be greeted 
in the streets with 'respect. Alas! for you — be- 
cause you are like unsuspected graves, over which 
men walk without knowing it." Here one of the 
Teachers of the Law interrupted Him by saying: 

"Teacher, when you are saying this, you are in- 
sulting us too. " But Jesus went on: 

"Alas! for you as well — you Teachers of the 
Law — because while you load people with loads 
that are difficult to carry, you do not, yourselves, 
touch them with one of your fingers. 



164 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Alas! for you — because you build monu- 
ments for the Prophets which your fore- 
fathers killed. You are actually witnesses to 
your fore-fathers' acts and show your ap- 
proval of them, because, while they killed 
them, you build tombs for them. This is why 
the wisdom of God said — 

'I will send to them Prophets and Apostles, 
some of whom they will kill and persecute, in order 
that all the 'blood' of all the Prophets 'that has 
been spilt' since the creation of the World may be 
exacted from this generation — from the blood of 
Abel down to the blood of Zachariah, who was 
murdered between the altar and the House of God. ' 
Yes, I tell you, it will be exacted from this gener- 
ation. Alas! for you Teachers of the Law — because 
you have taken away the key of the door of knowl- 
edge. You have not gone in yourselves and you 
have hindered those who were going in. " 

4. A Plot When Jesus left the house the 

Against Jesus Rabbis and Pharisees began 
to press Him hard and cate- 
chise Him on many subjects, keeping a sharp 
watch on His words in the hop'e of catching Him. 

5. Warnings Meanwhile the people had 
Against False gathered in thousands, so that 
Teaching they actually trampled upon one 
another, when Jesus, address- 
ing Himself to His disciples and the people, began 
with the warning: 

"Be on your guard against the leaven — I mean 
the hypocrisy— of the Pharisees. There is noth- 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 165 

ing, however covered up, which will not be un- 
covered, nor anything kept secret which will not 
become known. Hence all that you have said in 
the dark will be heard in the light, and what you 
have spoken in the ear, within closed doors, will 
be proclaimed upon the house tops." 

6. Encourage- "To you who are my friends I 
ment to say. Do not be afraid of those 

the Disciples who kill the body, but after 
that can do no more. I will 
show you of whom to be afraid. Be afraid of Him 
who, after killing you, has the power to fling you 
into the Pit. Yes, I say, be afraid of Him. Do 
not five sparrows sell for two cents? and yet not 
one of them has escaped God's notice. No, the 
very hairs of your heads are all counted. Do not be 
afraid, then; you are of more value than many 
sparrows. Everyone, I tell you, who will acknowl- 
edge me before his fellow-men, the Son of Man, 
on His part, will acknowledge before God's angels; 
but those who disown me before their fellow-men 
will be entirely disowned before God's angels. 
All who say anything against the Son of Man 
will be forgiven, while those who slander the 
Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Whenever they 
take you before the Synagogue Courts or the mag- 
istrates or other authorities, do not be anxious 
about how you will defend yourselves, or what 
your defense will be, or what you will say; for the 
Holy Spirit will show you at the moment what 
you ought to say." 



CHAPTER XXXIV. 

1. Lesson to a "Teacher," a man in the 
Selfish Man crowd said to Jesus, < 'tell my 

brother to share the property 
with me." But Jesus said to him: 

"Pray, who made me judge or arbitrator for 
you?" And then He added: 

' "Take care to keep yourselves free from every 
kind of covetousness; for even in the hour of his 
abundance a man's true life does not depend on 
his wealth." 

2. A Rich. Fool Then Jesus told them this 

story — 
"There was once a rich man who had a very 
fertile farm; and who began to consider to himself 
what he should do, as he had nowhere to store 
his crops. 

'This is what I will do', he said, 'I will pull my 
barns down and build bigger ones, and store all 
my grain and good things in them; and I will say 
to myself, "Now you have plenty of good things, 
put by for many a year; take your ease, eat and 
drink, and enjoy yourself" '. But God said to the 
man, 'You foolish man, this very night your life 
will be demanded; and who will get the good of all 
your preparations?' 



THE LIFE SUPREME, 167 

And so it is with those who lay by wealth for 
themselves and are not rich for God. " 

3. The Cares of Then Jesus said to His dis- 
Life ciples and the people: 

"This is why I say unto you, 
'Do not be anxious about your life here — what you 
will have to eat; nor yet about the clothes for your 
body. For your life is more important than its 
food, and your body than its clothes. Think of 
the crows — they neither sow, nor reap; nor have 
they any store house or barn; and yet God feeds 
them! And how much more are you worth than 
birds! Which of you, however anxious he is about 
it, can prolong his life a moment? And if you 
cannot manage even a very little thing, what use 
is there in being anxious about other things? 
Think of the lilies, how they grow! They neither 
toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all 
his grandeur was not robed like one of them. If 
God then dresses in this way the very wild -flow- 
ers, which are living to-day and will be used for 
the oven to-morrow, how much more will He do 
the same for you, yuu men of small faith? And 
so in your case, do not be eager about what you 
can get to eat, or what you can get to drink, and 
do not live in a state of suspense. For all these 
things the heathen throughout the World are eager 
about, and your Father knows that you need them 
all. No, be eager about His Kingdom, and then 
these things will be given to you in addition. So do 
not be afraid, my little flock, for your Father has 
been pleased to give you the Kingdom." 



168 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

4. The True "Sell what belongs to you, and 
Treasure give the proceeds in Charity. 

Make yourselves purses that 
will not wear out — an inexhaustible treasure in 
Heaven, where no thief comes near, nor even a 
moth works ruin. For where your treasure is, 
there will your heart be too. " 

5. Watchful- "Be ready with your lamps 

ness alight; and be like men who 

are waiting for their Master's 
return from the wedding, so that when he comes 
and knocks they may open the door at once. 
Happy are those servants whom, on his return, the 
Master will find on the alert. Believe me, he will 
put on his girdle, and make them take their places 
at table, and will go and wait on them. Whether 
it is late at night, or in the early morning that he 
comes, if he finds things as they should be, then 
happy are they. Of this you may be sure, that, 
had the owner of the house known what time the 
thief was coming, he would have been on the 
watch, and would not have let his house be broken 
into. You also should get ready, since it is just 
when you are least expecting Him that the Son of 
Man will come." 

6. Parable of "Master," said Peter, "are 
the Good and you telliag this story for us or 
Bad Servants for every one?" 

"Who, I wonder," the Mas- 
ter replied, "answers to the trustworthy house - 
steward, the thoughtful man, who will be placed 
by his master over his attendants, to give them 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 169 

their rations at the proper time? Happy will that 
servant be whom his Master, when he comes home, 
will find doing as he was told. His master, I tell 
you, will give him the management of the 
whole of his property. But should that 
servant say to himself, 'My master is a 
long time coming,' and begin to beat the 
menservants and maidservants, and to eat and 
drink, and get drunk, that servant's master will 
come home on a day when he does not expect him, 
and at an hour of which he is ignorant, and will 
flog him severely and allot him a place among the 
untrustworthy. The servant who knows his mas- 
ter's wishes and yet does not get ready and act ac- 
cording to those wishes will receive many lashes, 
while one who does not know his master's wishes, 
but acts so as to deserve a flogging, will only re- 
ceive a few. For every one to whom much is 
given much will be expected, and from the man to 
whom much has been entrusted more will be de- 
manded than from the others." 

7. Cost of "I came to bring down fire to 

Christ's Service Earth; and what is my wish? 
Would that it were already 
kindled! There is a baptism that I must receive, 
and how great is my distress till it is over ! Do 
you think that I am here to give peace on Earth? 
Not that, I tell you, but to cause division. After 
this, if there are five people in a house, they will 
be divided, three against two, and two against 
three. In the division, father will be against son 
and son against father, mother against daughter, and 
daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her 
daughter -in-laiv and daughter -in-law against her 
mother-in-law." 



CHAPTER XXXV. 

1. Signs of And to the people, who had 
the Times asked a sign, Jesus said: 

"When you see a cloud ris- 
ing in the west, you say at once, 'There is a show- 
er corning, ' and so it does. And when you see the 
wind in the south, you say, 'it will be burning hot,' 
and so it is. Hypocrites! You know how to judge 
of the Earth and sky, how is it then you cannot 
judge of this time? " 

2. Urgency for a "Why do you not settle what 
Prompt Decision is right of your own accord? 

When, for instance, you are 
going with your opponent before a magistrate, on 
your way do your best to be quit of him; for fear 
he should take you before the judge, when the 
judge will hand you over to the jailer and the jailer 
throw you into prison. You will not, I tell you, 
get out until you have paid the very last quarter- 
cent." 

3. Accidents Just at that very time some 
and Judgments people had come to Jesus 

to tell Him about the Gal- 
ileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with the 
blood of their sacrifices. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. Ill 

"Do you suppose," Jesus rejoined, "that because 
these Galileans suffered in this way, they had been 
worse sinners than any other Galileans? It 
was not so, I assure you; but unless you repent, 
you will all perish as they did. The same with 
those eighteen men in Siloam on whom the tower 
fell, killing them all, do you suppose that they 
had been worse offenders than all the other inhab- 
itants of Jerusalem? It was not so I assure you; 
but unless you repent, you will all perish like 
them. " 

4. The Barren Then Jesus went on to tell 

Fig Tree them this story— 

"A man had a fig tree grow- 
ing in his vineyard, but when he went to look for 
fruit on it, he could not find any. So he said to 
his gardener, 'Three years now I have come and 
looked for fruit on this fig tree, without finding 
any! Cut it down. Why should it take up room 
for nothing? ' 'Leave it this one year, 
more, Sir,' the man answered, till 
I have dug round it and fertilized it. 
Then, if it bears in the future, well and good, but 
if not, you will have to cut it down. ' " 

5. A Woman One Sabbath Jesus was teach- 
Healed on a ing in one of the Synagogues, 

Sabbath when there happened to be 

present a woman who for 
eighteen years had suffered from a weakness due 
to her being possessed. She was bent double, 
and was wholly unable to lift herself up. When 
Jesus saw her, He called her to Himself, and said: 



172 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"Woman, you are free from your weakness." 
He placed His hands on her, and she was instantly 
made straight, and began to praise God. But the 
President of the Synagogue, vexed at Jesus' hav- 
ing worked a cure on the Sabbath, interposed and 
said to the people : 

t 'There are six days on which work ought to be 
done; come on one of them and get cured, and not 
on the Sabbath. " 

"You hypocrites! " the Master exclaimed. "Does 
not every one of you set free his ass or his ox 
from the manger, and take it out to drink on the 
Sabbath? And this woman is a daughter of Abra- 
ham, and has been kept in bondage by Satan for 
now eighteen years. Ought not she to be set free 
from her bondage on the Sabbath? " 
As He said this, all His opponents felt ashamed; 
but all the people were rejoiced to see all the 
splendid things that He was doing. 

6. Jesus at the After this the Festival of the 

Re -dedication Bededicaiion took place at 

Festival Jerusalem. It was winter; and 

Jesus was walking in the 

Temple Courts, in the Colonnade of Solomon, when 

the Jews came round Him, and said: 

"How long are you going to keep us in sus- 
pense? If you really are the Christ, tell us so 
frankly." 

"I have told you so,' ' Jesus replied, "and you 
do not believe me. All things that I am doing by 
my Father's authority bear testimony to me, You, 
however, do not believe me, because you are not 
among my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 173 

know them, and they follow me; and I give them 
enduring Life, and they shall never be lost; nor 
shall any one snatch them out of my hands. What 
my Father has entrusted to me is of more import- 
ance than all else; and no one can snatch any thing 
out of my Father's hands. The Father and I are 
One." 

The Jews again armed themselves with stones, 
to throw at Him. Seeing this Jesus said: 

* 'I have done in your presence many good ac- 
tions, which were due to the Father; for which 
one of them would you stone me? " 

"It is not for any good action that we stone 
you," the Jews answered, "but for blasphemy; 
and because you, who are only a man, make your- 
self out to be God." 

"Are there 'not, " Jesus replied, "these words 
in your Law — l I said, ik Ye are gods"'? If 
those to whom God's words were addressed 
were to be 'gods' — and Scripture cannot be set 
aside — do you say of One whom the Father has 
consecrated and made His Messenger to the 
World 'You are blasphemous', because I said 
'I am God's Son'? If I am not doing 
the things my Father is doing, do not 
believe me; but if I am doing them, even 
though you do not believe me, believe what these 
things show; so that you may learn and continue 
to learn, that the Father is in union with me, and 
I with the Father." 

This made the Jews again eager to arrest Him; 
but He escaped their hands. 



174 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

7. Jesus Retires Then Jesus crossed the Jor- 

Beyond the dan again to the place where 

Jordan John used to baptize at first, 

and stayed there some time, 

during which many people came to see Him. 

"John gave no sign of his mission," they said; 
"but everything he said about this man was true." 
And many learnt to believe on Him in that place. 



CHAPTER XXXVI. 

1. The Narrow Then Jesus went through the 
Door towns and villages, teaching 

as He went. 

4 'Master, " some one asked, "are there only a 
few in the path of Salvation?" And Jesus an- 
swered: 

"Try your utmost to go in at the small door. 
There are, I tell you, many eager to go in, but 
they will not be able to do so, when once the mas- 
ter of the house has got up, and shut the door, 
while you begin to say, as you stand outside and 
knock, 'Sir, open the door for us'. 
His answer will be, 'I do not know where you 
come from. Leave me all you who are living in 
tvickedness' . And there, there will be weeping and 
grinding of teeth, when you see Abraham and 
Isaac and Jacob and all the Prophets in the King- 
dom of God, while you yourselves are driven out- 
side. People will come from East and West and 
from North and South, and will take their places 
at table in the Kingdom of God. Listen! There 
are some who are last now who will then be first, 
and some who are first now who will then be last. " 



176 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

2. A Message to Just then some Pharisees came 
Herod Antipas up to Jesus and said: 

"Go away and leave this 
place; for Herod means to kill you." But Jesus 
answered: 

"Go and say to that vixen, 'Take notice that I 
am going to drive out evil spirits and work cures 
to-day and to-morrow, and that on the third day I 
shall complete my work'. But to-day and to- 
morrow and the day after I must go on my jour- 
ney, because a prophet cannot meet his end any- 
where but in Jerusalem." 

3. Jesus Dines Once Jesus went into the 
with a Pharisee house of one of the leading 

and Cures a Pharisees for a meal on the 

Dropsical Man Sabbath, and they watched 

Him closely. There He saw a 

man in front of Him who was suffering from 

dropsy. 

"Is it allowable," said Jesus, addressing the 
Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, "to work 
a cure on the Sabbath or not? " They remained 
silent. So Jesus took hold of the man and cured 
him, and sent him away. Then He said to them : 
"Which of you yourselves, finding that his son or 
his ox had fallen into a well, will not immediately 
pull him out on the Sabbath? " 
And they failed to make any answer to this. 

4. Humility for Observing that the guests 
the Guests were choosing the best places 

for themselves, Jesus spoke 
to them, and used the fact as an illustration: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 177 

"When you are invited by anyone to a marriage 
feast, do not put yourself in the best place, in case 
some one of higher rank has been invited by your 
host; for then he who has invited you both will 
come and say to you, 'Make room for my friend, ' 
when you will begin in confusion to find the lowest 
place. Instead of that, when you are invited, go 
and take the lowest place, so that, when he who 
has invited you conies, may say to you, 'Go higher 
up my friend'; and then you will be honored in the 
eyes of all your fellow-guests. For all those who 
exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who 
humble themselves will be exalted. " 

5. Hospitality Then Jesus went on to say to 
for the Host the man who had invited Him: 

"When you give a lunch or 
a dinner, do not ask your friends, or your brother, 
or your relations, or rich neighbors for fear they 
should invite you in return, and so you should be 
repaid. Instead of that when you give a party, invite 
poor, or crippled, or lame, or blind; and then you 
will be really happy, for they cannot repay you, 
but you will be repaid at the resurrection of the 
good." 

6. Parable of the One of the guests heard what 

Invitation He said and exclaimed: 
Refused "Happy will they be who 

shall eat bread in the Kingdom 
of God!" Jesus said to him: 

"A man was once giving a great dinner. He 
invited many people, and sent his servant, when 
it was time for the dinner, to tell the guests to 

(12) 



178 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

come, as things were quite ready. But they all 
alike began begging to be excused. The first man 
said to the servant, 'I have bought a field and am 
obliged to go and look at it. I must ask you to 
consider me excused.' 

The next said, 'I have bought five pairs of bullocks, 
and I am going to try them. I must ask you to 
consider me excused.' 

While the next said, 'I am just married and for 
that reason I cannot come.' 

On his return the servant told his master all these 
answers. Enraged at them, the owner of the house 
said to the servant, 'Go out at once into the streets 
and alleys of the town, and bring in here the poor, 
and the crippled, and the blind, and the lame.' 
Presently the servant said, 'Master, your orders 
have been carried out and still there is room.' 
'Go out, ' said the master, 'into the roads and hedge- 
rows, and make people come in, so that my house 
may be filled; for, I tell you all, not one of those 
men who were invited shall taste of my dinner'. " 



CHAPTER XXXVII. 

1. Duty and cost Great crowds were one day 
of Self-denial walking along with Jesus, 
when He turned and said to 
them: 

"If any man comes to me and does not hate even 
his father, and mother, and wife, and children, 
and brother, and sisters, yes and his very life too, 
he cannot be a disciple of mine. The man who 
does not carry his own cross, and go where I go, 
cannot be a disciple of mine. Why, which one of 
you yourselves, when he wants to build a tower, 
does not first sit down and calculate the expense, 
to see if he has enough to complete it? — for fear 
that, if he has laid the foundation and is not able 
to finish it, every one who sees it should begin to 
laugh at him and say, 'Here is a man who began 
to build but was not able to finish!' 
Is it not the same with a king when he is setting 
out to fight another king? Does he not first sit 
down and consider if with ten thousand men he is 
able to meet his opponent who is coming against 
him with twenty thousand? And if he thinks he 
cannot, then, while the other is still at a distance, 
he sends envoys and asks for terms of peace." 



180 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

2. A Real "And it is just the same with 
Disciple every one of you who does riot 

say goodbye to all he has — he cannot be a disciple 
of mine. Yes, salt is a good thing; but should 
salt lose its strength, what will you use to restore 
it? It is not fit either for the land or the manure 
heap. People throw it away. Let all who have 
ears to listen with, listen!" 

3. Parable of the The tax-collectors and godless 

Lost Sheep people were all drawing near 
to Jesus to listen to Him but 
the Pharisees and Rabbis found fault: 

"This man actually welcomes godless people, 
and has meals with them!" they complained. So 
Jesus put this case to them — 

"Suppose one of you has an hundred sheep and 
has lost* but one of them, does he not leave the 
ninety and nine on the moor and go after the lost 
sheep until he finds it? Then, when he finds it, 
he is rejoiced, and puts it on his shoulders; and on 
reaching home, he calls his friends and neighbors 
together and says, 'Come and share my gladness, 
for I have found my sheep which was lost. ' 
So, too, there will be more gladness in Heaven, I 
tell you, over one godless man who repents than 
over ninety and nine pious men, who have no need 
to repent." 

4. Parable of "Or again, suppose a woman 
the Lost Coin has ten half-dollars; if she 

loses one of them, does she 
not light a lamp and sweep the house and search 
carefully until she finds it? Then, when she finds 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 181 

it, she calls her friends and neighbors together 
and says, 'Come and share my gladness, for I have 
found the half-dollar which was lost ' 
So, too, I tell you, there is gladness in the pres- 
ence of God's angels over one godless man that 
repents'." 
5. Parable of Then Jesus continued: 

the Lost Son "A man had two sons; and 

the younger of them said to 
his father, 'Father, give me my share of the prop- 
erty.' And so the father divided the estate for 
them. A few days later the younger son got to- 
gether all he had, and went away into a distant 
land ; and there he squandered his property by his 
dissolute life. When he had spent all he had, a 
severe famine set in all over that country, and he 
began to be in actual want. So he went and en- 
gaged himself to one of the people of that country, 
who sent him into the fields to tend hogs. He even 
longed to satisfy his hunger with the bean-pods 
on which the hogs were feeding; and no one gave 
him any thing. At last he came to his senses, and 
said to himself) 'How many of my father's hired 
servants have more bread than they can eat, while 
I am starving to death here ! I will get up and go 
to my father, and say to him, "Father, I sin- 
ned against Heaven and to your face; I am 
no longer fit to be called your son; treat me 
as one of your hired servants".' So he got up 
and went to his father. When he was still a long- 
way off, his father saw him, and his heart was 
touched; he ran and threw his arms round his neck 
and kissed him. 'Father,' the son said, 'I sinned 



182 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

against Heaven and to your face; I am no longer 
fit to be called your son; treat me as one of your 
hired servants. ' But the father turned to his ser- 
vants and said, 'Be quick and bring a robe — the 
best in the house — and put it on him; give him a 
ring for his finger and shoes for his feet; and bring 
the calf that has been fattening, and kill it 4 and let 
us eat and be merry, for this my son was dead, and 
is come to life; he was lost and is found.' So they 
began making merry. 

Meanwhile the elder son was on the farm, but 
on coming home, when he got near the house, he 
heard music and dancing. So he called one of the 
servants and inquired what it all meant. 
'Your brother has come back, ' the servant told 
him, 'and your father has killed the calf that was 
fattening, because he has him back safe and sound.' 
This made him angry, and he would not go in. So 
his father, came out and begged him to do so. k No,' 
he said to his father, 'look at all the years that I 
have been serving you, without ever once disobey- 
ing you, and yet to me you have never given even 
a kid, so that I might have a merry-making with 
my friends. But no sooner has this son of yours 
come, who has eaten up your estate in the com- 
pany of prostitutes, than you have killed for him 
the calf that was fattening. ' 

'My child,' the father answered, 'you are always 
with me, and every thing I have is yours. We 
could not but make merry and be glad, for this 
brother of yours was dead, but is alive; he was 
lost, but is found'." 



CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

1. Parable of Jesus went on to say to His 
the Steward disciples: 

"There was once a rich man 
who had a steward. An accusation was maliciously 
brought to him against this steward, that he was 
squandering his property. So the master called 
him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? 
Give in your accounts as steward, for you cannot 
act as steward any longer. ' 

'What am I to do, ' the steward asked himself, 'now 
that the master is taking the steward's place away 
from me? I have not the strength to dig, and I 
am ashamed to beg. — I know what I will do, so 
that, as soon as I am turned out of my place, people 
may welcome me into their homes.' One by one 
he called up his master's debtors. 'How much do 
you owe my master?' he asked of the first. 
'Four hundred and forty gallons of oil, ' the man 
answered. 

'Here is your agreement,' he said, 'sit down at 
once and make it read two hundred and twenty. 
'And you,' the steward said to the next, 'how much 
do you owe? ' 
'Seventy quarters of wheat', he replied. 



184 THE LIFE SUPBEME. 

'Here is your agreement', the steward said, 'make 
it read fifty- six.' 

His master complimented the false steward on the 
shrewdness of his conduct. And indeed worldly 
men are shrewder in dealing with their fellows 
than those who are truly enlightened. So my ad- 
vice to you is to make friends for yourselves with 
your 'false Gold, ' so that, when it comes to an end, 
they may welcome you into the homes that will 
endure. Those who can be trusted in a small 
matter can be trusted in a great one too; and those 
who are false in a very small matter are false in a 
great one too. So if you have proved untrust- 
worthy with your 'false Gold, ' who will trust you 
with real riches? And if you have proved untrust- 
worthy with what belongs to another, who will 
give you what belongs to us? No servant can be 
servant to two masters, for either he will dislike 
one and like the other, or he will attach himself 
to the one and scorn the other. You cannot serve 
both God and Gold." 

2. Jesus Re- All this was said in the hear- 

bukes Phar- of the Pharisees, who were 

isees fond of their money, and they 

began to sneer at Jesus. 

"You", said Jesus, "are the men who make 

yourselves out to be right before your fellow-men, 

but God can read your hearts; and what counts 

for much with men may be abominable in the eyes 

of God. The Law and the Prophets sufficed until 

the time of John. Since then the Good News of 

the Kingdom of God has been told, and everyone 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 185 

has been forcing his way into it. It would be 
easier for the Earth and sky to disappear than for 
the cross of a 't' in the Law to be lost." 

3. Duty to be "Which of you if he had a 
Done without servant plowing or tending 

Expecting the sheep, would say to him, 
Thanks when he came in from the 

farm, 'Come and take your 
place at table at once, ' instead of saying, 'Get 
dinner ready for me, and then get dressed and 
wait on me while I am eating and drinking, and 
after that you shall eat and drink yourself? ' 
Does he feel grateful to his servant for doing what 
he was told? And so with you, when you have 
done all you have been told, still say, 'We are 
poor servants indeed; we have only done our plain 
duty.'" 

4. The Rich Man "There was once a rich man, 
and the Beggar who dressed in purple robes 

and fine linen, and feasted 
every day in great splendor. There had been laid 
near his gateway a beggar called Lazarus, who 
was a mass of sores, and who longed to satisfy 
his hunger with what fell from the rich man's 
table. But worse still the dogs came and licked 
his sores. After a time the beggar died, and was 
taken by the angels to be with Abraham. The 
rich man also died and was buried. In the Place 
of Death he looked up in his torture, and saw 
Abraham at a distance and Lazarus with him. So 
he called out, 'Pity me, Father Abraham, and send 
Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and 



186 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

cool my tongue, for I am suffering agonies in this 
flame.' 

'Remember, my son,' answered Abraham, 'that 
you had your comforts in your lifetime, just as 
Lazarus had his troubles; but now he has his con- 
solation here, while you are suffering agonies. 
And not only that, but between you and us lies a 
great chasm, to prevent any who might wish from 
passing from here to you, or crossing from there 
to us. ' 

'Then, Father', he said, 'I beg you to send Laza- 
rus to my father's house. I have five brothers 
there, and I want him to warn them, to prevent 
them from coming to this place of torture too.' 
'They have the writings of Moses and the 
Prophets, ' Abraham replied; 'they must listen to 
them.' 

'But, Father Abraham,' he urged, 'if some one 
from the dead would go to them they would repent. ' 
'If they will not listen to Moses and the Prophets, r 
Abraham replied, 'they will not be convinced,, 
even if some one were to arise from the dead.' " 



CHAPTER XXXIX. 

1. Jesus Hears Now a man named Lazarus of 

of the Illness of Bethany was lying ill; he be- 

Lazarus longed to the same village as 

Mary and her sister Martha. 

This Mary, whose brother Lazarus was ill, was 

the Mary who anointed the Master with perfume 

and wiped His feet with her hair. The sisters sent 

a message to Jesus to tell Him that His friend was 

ill. On hearing it, Jesus said: 

"This illness is not to end in death, but is for 
the honor of God, in order that the Son of God 
may win honor through it." 

Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus were very 
dear to Jesus. Yet when He heard of the illness 
of Lazarus, He still stayed two days in the place 
where He was. Then, after that, He said to His 
disciples: 

"Let us go to Judaea again." 

"Rabbi," they replied, "the Jews were but just 
now eager to stone you, and are you going there 
again? " 

"Are there not twelve hours in the day? " Jesus 
answered; "now if one travels by day, he does not 
stumble, because he can see the light of the sun; 



188 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

but if anyone travels by night, he stumbles, because 

he has not the light.'' 

When He had said this, He added: 

"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am 
going there to awake him." 

"If he has fallen asleep, Master, he will get 
well," said the disciples. But Jesus meant that 
he was dead; they, however, supposed that He 
was speaking of natural sleep. Then He said to 
them plainly: 

"Lazarus is dead; and I am glad for your sakes 
that I was not there, so that you may learn to 
believe in me. But let us go to him. " 
At this, Thomas, who was called 'The Twin', said 
to his fellow-disciples: 

"Let us go too, so that we may die with Him." 

2. Martha Meets When Jesus arrived He found 
Jesus that Lazarus had been four 

days in the tomb already. 
Bethany being only about two miles from Jeru- 
salem, a number of Jews had come there to con- 
dole with Martha and Mary about their brother. 
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming she 
went to meet Him; but Mary remained sitting in 
the house. 

"Master," said Martha to Jesus, "if you had 
been here, my brother would not have died! Even 
now I know that God will grant you whatever you 
ask Him." 

"Your brother shall rise to life," Jesus said. 

"I know that he will," Martha replied, "at the 
resurrection at the Last Day. " 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 189 

"I myself," Jesus said, "am the Resurrection 
and the Life. Those who believe in me, though 
they die, will live; and all who are alive and be- 
believe in me will never die at all. Do you believe 
this? " 

"Yes, Master," she answered, "I have learnt to 
believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, 
ivho was to Come into the World. ' ' 

3. Martha Sends After saying this, Martha 
Mary to Jesus went and called her sister 
Mary, and whispered: 

"The Teacher is here, and is asking for you." 
As soon as Mary heard that, she got up quickly, 
and went to meet Him. So the Jews who were in 
the house with Mary, condoling with her, when 
they saw her get up quickly and go out, followed 
her, under the impression that she was going to 
the tomb to weep there. When Mary came where 
Jesus was and saw Him, she threw herself at His 
feet. 

"Master," she exclaimed, "if you had been here, 
I should not have lost my brother! " When Jesus 
saw her in tears as well as the Jews who had come 
with her, He groaned deeply, and became greatly 
agitated. 

"Where have you buried him? " He asked. 

"Come, and see, Master," they answered, Jesus 
burst into tears. 

"How He must have loved him! " the Jews ex- 
claimed; but some of them said: 

"Could not this man who gave sight to the blind 
man have also prevented Lazarus from dying? " 



190 TBE LIFE SUPREME. 

4. Jesus Raises Again groaning inwardly, 
Lazarus to Life Jesus came to the tomb. It 

was a cave, and a stone was 
lying against the mouth of it. 

"Move the stone away, " said Jesus. 

• 'Master, ' ' said Martha, the sister of the dead 
man, "by this time the smell must be offensive, 
for this is the fourth day since his death." 

"Did I not tell you, " Jesus replied, "that if you 
would believe in me, you should see the glory of 
God?" 

So they moved the stone away; and Jesus with up- 
lifted eyes said: 

"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard my 
prayer; for myself, I knew that thou always near- 
est me; but it is for the sake of the people standing 
round me that I say this, so that they may believe 
that I am thy Messenger." 
After saying this, Jesus called out loudly: 

"Lazarus, come here." 
The dead man walked out, wrapped hand and foot 
in a winding-sheet; his face, too, had been wrapped 
in a cloth. 

"Set him free, " Jesus said, "and let him go. " 
In consequence of this, many of the Jews who had 
come to visit Mary and had seen what Jesus did, 
learnt to believe in Him. Some of them, however, 
went to the Pharisees, and told them all that He 
had done. 

5. Chief Priests Upon this the Chief Priests 
Plot the Death and the Pharisees called a 

of Jesus meeting of the High Council, 
and said: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 191 

"What are we to do, now that this man is giving 
so many signs? If we let him alone like this, 
every one will believe in Him; and the Romans will 
come and will rob us of our Sacred Place and of our 
People." 

One of them, however, named Caiaphas, who was 
High Priest that year, said to them: 

"You know nothing about it. You do not con- 
sider that it is for your advantage that one man 
should die for the people, instead of the whole 
nation being destroyed." 

Now he did not say this of his own accord, but as 
High Priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus 
was to die for the nation— and not for the nation 
only, but that He might also unite in one body the 
children of God now scattered far and wide. So 
from that day they plotted to put Jesus to death ■ 

6. Jesus Retires In consequence of this Jesus 
to Ephraim did not go publicly about 
among the Jews any more, 
but left that neighborhood, and went into the 
country bordering on the desert, to a town called 
Ephraim, where He stayed with His disciples, and 
taught them there. 



CBAPTER XL. 

1. Jesus Heals At the conclusion of His 
Ten Lepers teaching, Jesus took His de- 
parture from that place, passed 
through the middle of Samaria and Galilee, and 
went into that district of Judaea which is on the 
other side of the Jordan. Large crowds followed 
Him, and again as usual, He began teaching them, 
and cured them there. As He was entering a 
village ten lepers approached Him. Standing still 
at a distance, they called out loudly: 

"Jesus! Sir! pity us! " When Jesus saw them 
He said: 

"Go and show yourselves to the priests." 
And as they were on their way they were healed. 
One of them, finding that he was cured, came back, 
loudly praising God, and threw himself on his face 
at Jesus' feet, thanking Him for what He had done. 
This man was a Samaritan. 

"Were there not ten healed?" asked Jesus, ad- 
dressing him, "Where are the other nine? Were 
there none to come back and praise God but this 
foreigner? Get up," He said to him, "and go on 
your way, your own faith has made you well." 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 193 

2. The Coming Being asked once by the Phar- 
Kingdom isees when the Kingdom, of 

God was to come, Jesus an- 
swered: 

"The Kingdom does not come in a way that 
attracts attention, nor will people say, 'Look! 
here it is! ' or 'There it is!'; for, mark me, the 
Kingdom of God is already among you. There 
will be days, '' He said to His disciples, "when you 
will long to see but one of the days of the Son of 
Man, and will not see it. People will say to you, 
'Look, there He is!' or 'Look, here He is!' Do not 
go and follow them. For just as lightning will 
lighten and flare from one side of the sky to the 
other, so will it be with the Son of Man. 
But first He has much to undergo, and He must 
be rejected by the present generation. As it was 
in the days of Noah, so it will be again in the days 
of the Son of Man. They were eating and drink- 
ing and marrying and being married, up to the 
day on which Noah entered the ark, and then the 
flood came and destroyed them all. So, too, in the 
days of Lot. People were eating, drinking, buy- 
ing, selling, planting, building; but on the very 
day on which Lot came out of Sodom, it rained 
lire and sulphur from the skies and destroyed them 
all. This is just how it will be on the day on 
which the Son of Man reveals himself. On that 
day if a man is on the house-top and his goods in 
the house, he must not go down to gefc them; nor 
again must one who is on the farm turn back. Re- 
collect Lot's wife. Whoever is eager to make the 
most of his life will lose it; but whoever will lose 

(13) 



194 TEE LIFE SUPREME. 

it will preserve it. On that night I tell you of 
two men in one bed, one will betaken, and the other 
left; of two women grinding together, one will be 
taken, and the other left." 

"Where will it be? " interposed His disciples. 

"Where there is a body," said Jesus, "there, too, 
will the vultures flock.'' 1 

3. Parable of the Jesus told His disciples a story 

False Judge to show them the need of 
always praying and never los- 
ing heart. 

"There was," He said, "in a certain town a 
judge, who had no fear of God nor regard for man. 
In the same town there was a widow who went to 
him repeatedly, asking for justice against some 
one who had wronged her. For some time the 
judge refused, but after awhile he said to himself, 
'It is true that I am without fear of God or regard 
for man; yet as this widow is so troublesome, I 
will grant her justice, to prevent her plaguing 
me with her endless visits. ' " Then the Master 
added: 

"Listen to what this false judge says! And 
God — will not God see that His own chosen people, 
who cry to Him night and day have justice done 
them while He bears with their impatience? He 
will have justice done them, I assure you, and 
that soon! Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will 
He find faith on the Earth? ' ' 

4. Parable, Phar- Another time speaking to the 
isee and Tax- people who were confident 

collector of their own piety, and who 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 195 

treated everyone else with scorn, Jesus told this 
story — 

"Two men went into the Temple Courts to pray. 
One was a Pharisee the other a tax-collector. The 
Pharisee stood up and began praying to himself 
in this way— '0 God, I thank thee that I am not 
like other people — thieves, rogues, or adulterers, 
as they all are, or even like this tax-collector. I 
fast twice a week, and give a tenth of everything 
I get to God.' 

The tax-collector, on the other hand, stood at a 
distance, not even venturing 'to raise his eyes to 
Heaven', but he kept striking his breast and say- 
ing, 'O God, have mercy on a sinner like me. ' 

This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, and 
not the other; for everyone who exalts himself 
will be humbled, while everyone who humbles 
himself will be exalted." 

5. The Pharisees Presently some Pharisees 

Ask about came up to Him, and by way 

Divorce of testing Him enquired 

whether a man had a right 

to divorce his wife for any and every cause. 

"Have you not read", Jesus replied, "that at the 
beginning the Creator ^made them male andfemale\ 
and said, 'For this reason a man shall leave his 
father and mother and be united to his wife, and 
the man and his wife shall become one'? — and 
hence they are no longer two, but one. What God 
himself, then, has yoked together men must not 
separate. " 

"Why, then," they said, "did Moses direct us 



196 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Ho serve her ivith a notice of separation and divorce 
her'?" 

"Moses, owing to your perversity," Jesus an- 
swered, "allowed you to divorce your wives, but 
that was not so at the beginning. But any one 
who divorces his wife, I tell you, except on the 
ground of her unchastity, and marries another 
woman, becomes an adulterer, and the man who 
marries her after her divorce from her husband is 
an adulterer; and if the woman divorces her hus- 
band and marries another man, she becomes an 
adulteress." 

"If that, " the disciples said, "is the position of 
a man with regard^to his wife, it is better not to 
marry." 

"It is not every one," Jesus replied, " who can 
accept this teaching, but only those who have 
been enabled to do so. Some men it is true, have 
been disabled from birth for marriage, while others 
have been disabled by their fellow-men, and others 
again have disabled themselves for the sake of the 
Kingdom of Heaven. Let all accept it who can." 



CHAPTER XLI. 

1. Jesus Blesses Some of the people were bring- 
little Children ing even their babies to Jesus, 

for Him to touch them; but 
when the disciples saw it they began to find fault 
with those who had brought them. Jesus, how- 
ever, called the children to Him. 

"Let the children come to me," He said, "and do 
not hinder them; for the Kingdom of God belongs 
to the child-like. Believe me, unless a man re- 
ceives the Kingdom of God like a child, he will not 
even enter it. " So He folded the children in His 
arms, and placing His hands upon them, gave 
them His blessing. 

2. A Rich Man Presently a man came up to 
Questions Jesus Him and said: 

"Teacher, what good action 
must I do to obtain enduring life? " 

' 'Why ask me about goodness? ' ' Jesus answered. 
"There is but One who is good. But if you want 
to enter the Life, keep the commandments." 

"Which commandments?" the man asked. Then 
Jesus answered: 

"These, ^Tliou shall not kill, Thou shalt 
not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou 



198 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

shalt not say ivhat is false about others, Honor thy 
father and thy mother, ' and ' Thou shalt love thy neigh- 
bor as if he were thyself'." 

"All these I have observed, " the young man re- 
plied. "In what am I still wanting? " 

"If you wish to be perfect, " Jesus answered, "go 
and sell your property, and give to the poor, and 
you shall have wealth in Heaven; then come and 
follow me. " 

On hearing these words, the young man went 
away sad, for he had large possesions. 

3. " Lesson At this, Jesus said to His dis- 
about Money ciples: 

"A rich man, I tell you will 
find it hard to enter the Kingdom of Heaven! It is 
easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle 
(i. e. the small gate) than for a rich man to enter 
the Kingdom of Heaven! " On hearing this the 
desciples exclaimed in extreme astonishment: 

"Who then can possibly be saved? " But Jesus 
looked at them and said: 

"With men this is impossible, but with God 
everything is possible. ' ' 

4. Reward of "But we," Peter said, address - 
Self-sacrifice ing Jesus, "we left every thing 

and followed you; what then, 
shall we get? " 

"Believe me," Jesus answered, "at the New 
Creation, when the Son of Man takes His seat up- 
on His 'glorious throne, ' you, who followed with 
me shall be seated upon twelve thrones, as judges 
of the twelve tribes of Israel. Every one who has 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 199 

left houses, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or 
mother, or children, or land, on my account, will 
receive many times as much, and will 'share en- 
during life. ' But many who are first now will then 
be last, and those who are last will be first. " 
5. Parable of the "For the Kingdom of Heaven 
Laborers in the is like an employer who went 
Vineyard out in the early morning to 

hire laborers for his vineyard. 
He agreed with the laborers to pay them fifty 
cents a day, and then sent them into his vineyard. 
On going out again, about nine o'clock, he saw 
some others standing in the market-place, with 
nothing to do. 'You may go into my vineyard; 
too,' he said, 'and I will pay you what is fair'. So 
the men went. About mid-day he went out a third 
time and again about three, and did the same as 
before. When he went out about five o'clock, he 
found some other men standing there, and said to 
them, 'Why have you been standing here all day 
long doing nothing. ' 'Because no one has hired 
us', they answered. 'You may go into my vine- 
yard, too,' he said. In the evening the owner of 
the vineyard said to his overseer, 'Call the labor- 
ers, and pay them their wages, beginning with 
those hired last and ending with the first. ' Now 
when those who had been hired about five o'clock 
went up, they received fifty-cents each. So when 
the men first hired went up, they took for granted 
that they would receive more, but they, too, re- 
ceived fifty-cents each; on which they began 
grumbling at their employer. 'These last hired', 
they said, 'have done only one hour's work, aod 



200 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

yet you have put them on the same footing with 
us, who have borne the brant of the day's work, 
and the burning heat'. 'My friend', was his reply 
to one of them, 'I am doing you no injustice. Did 
not you agree with me for fifty- cents? Take what 
belongs to you and go. But I choose to give to 
the man hired last the same as to you. Have I not 
the right to do as I choose with what belongs to 
me? Are you envious because I am kind?' In 
the same way, those who are now last will then be 
first, and those who are first will be last. " 

5. Jesus a Third One day when they were on 

time Foretells the road, going up to Jeru- 

His Death. salem; Jesus was walking in 

front of the rest; and they 

were dismayed, while those who were following 

were filled with alarm. Then, gathering the 

Twelve around Him once more,' Jesus began to tell 

them what was going to happen to Him. 

"Listen! " He said. ''We are going up to Jeru- 
salem; and there everything that is written in the 
Prophets will be done to the Son of Man; for He 
will be betrayed to the Chief Priests and Rabbis, 
and they will condemn Him to death, and hand 
Him over to the heathen for them to mock, to spit 
upon, to flog, and to crucify; and He will rise from 
the grave the third day. " 

The Apostles did not take in any of this; His 
meaning was unintelligible to them, and they did 
not understand what He was saying. 



CHAPTER XLII. 

1. Request of the Then the mother of Zebediah 's 
Mother of sons came up to Him, bending 
James and John low, and asking a favor. 

"What is it you want?" 
Jesus said to her. 

"I want to say, " was her reply, "that in your 
Kingdom these two sons of mine may sit, one on 
your right, and the other on your left". 

' 'You do not know what you are asking", Jesus said 
in reply. "Can you drink the cup that I am about 
to drink, and receive the baptism I am to receive?" 
"Yes," they exclaimed, "we can." 

"You shall indeed drink my cup, and receive 
the baptism that I am to receive", He said, "but 
as to a seat at my right and at my left — that is 
not mine to give, but belongs to those for whom it 
has been reserved by my Father." 

On hearing this the other ten were much annoyed 
about the two brothers. Jesus, however, called 
the ten to Him, and said: 

1 'The rulers of the heathen, as you know, lord it 
over them, and the greatest men among them are 
their masters. Among you it must not be so. On 
the contrary, whoever wishes to become great 



202 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

among you must be your servant, and whoever 
wishes to take first place among you, must be at 
your call; just as the Son of Man came, not to be 
served, but to serve, and to give His Life as a 
ransom for many. " 

2. The Cure of As Jesus was getting near 

Blind Jericho with His disciples, and 

Bartimaeus a large crowd, Bartimaeus, 

the son of Timaeus, a blind 

beggar, was sitting by the road side. Hearing 

that a multitude was going by he asked what it 

meant. He was told that Jesus of Nazareth was 

passing by. On hearing it was Jesus of Nazareth, 

he began to call out: 

"Jesus, son of David, take pity on me." 
Many of the people repeatedly told him to be quiet; 
but the man kept calling out all the louder: 

"Son of David, take pity on me. " Then Jesus 
stopped. 

"Call him." He said. So they called the blind 
man. "Courage," they exclaimed. "Get up; He 
is calling you." 

The man threw off his cloak, sprang up, and came 
to Jesus. 

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus 
said, addressing him. 

"Great Rabbi," the blind man said, "I want to 
recover my sight. " 

"You may go," Jesus said, "your own faith has 
cured you." 

And immediately he recovered his sight, and began 
following Jesus along in the road, praising God. 
All the people, too, on seeing it, gave glory to God. 



THE LIFE SVPBEME. 203 

3. Zacchaeus the Jesus entered Jericho and 
Tax-collector made His way through the 
town. There was a man there 
known by the name of Zacchaeus, who was. the 
head of the tax-collectors and a rich man. He was 
bent on seeing what Jesus was like; but being 
short, he was unable to do so because of the crowd. 
So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a mulberry 
tree hoping to see Jesus, for he knew that Jesus 
must go that way. When Jesus reached the spot, 
He looked up and said to him : 

"Zacchaeus, be quick and come down, for I must 
stop at your house to-day." So Zacchaeus got 
down quickly and gave Jesus a hearty welcome. 
On seeing this everyone began complaining: 

"He has gone to stay with a godless man." But 
Zacchaeus stepped forward and said to the Master: 

"Listen, Master! I will give half of my property 
to the poor, and where I have defrauded any one 
of anything I will give him back four times as 
much." 

"Salvation has come to this house to-day," an- 
swered Jesus, "because even this man is a son of 
Abraham. The Son of Man has come to search for 
these ivho are lost and save them." 

4. Cure of As they were going out of 

Two Blind Men Jericho, a great crowd fol- 
lowed Him. Two blind men 

sitting by the roadside, hearing that it was Jesus 

passing, called out: 

"Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!" The 

crowd told them to be quiet; but the men only 

called out the louder: 



204 THE LIFE SUPBEME. 

"Take pity on us, Master, Son of David!" Then 
Jesus stopped and called them. 

"What do you want me to do for you? ' ' He said. 

"Master," they said, "we want our eyes to be 
opened." 

So Jesus, moved with pity, touched their eyes, and 
at once they recovered their sight, and followed 
Him. 

5. Parable of Ser- As people were listening to 
vants Entrusted Him He went on to tell them 

with Money a story. He did so because 
He was near Jerusalem and 
because they thought that the Kingdom of God 
was going to be proclaimed at once. He said: 

"A nobleman once went into .a distant country 
to receive his appointment to a Kingdom, and then 
to return. He called ten of his own servants and 
gave them fifty dollars each, and told them to 
trade with them during his absence. But his sub- 
jects hated him and sent envoys after him to state 
their unwillingness to have him as their King. On 
his return, having been appointed King, he directed 
that the servants to whom he had given his money 
should be summoned, so that he might learn what 
business they had done. The first came up and 
said, 'Sir, your fifty-dollars have earned five-hun- 
dred.' 

'Well done, indeed, you good servant! ' exclaimed 
the master. 'As you -have proved faithful when 
trusted with a very small matter, I appoint you 
governor over ten towns.' 
When the second came, he said, 'Your fifty-dollars, 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 205 

Sir, have produced two-hundred-and-filty. ' So 
the master said to him as well, 'And you are to be 
over five towns.' 

Another servant came, too, and said, 'Sir, here are 
your fifty-dollars; I have kept them put away in a 
handkerchief. For I was afraid of you, because 
you are a stern man. You take what you have 
not planted, and you reap what you have not sown. ' 
'Oat of your own mouth', answered the master, 'I will 
judge you, you good-for-nothing servant. You 
knew, did you, that I am a stern man, that I take 
what I have not planted and that I reap what I 
have not sown? Then why did you not put my 
money into the bank? In that case, on coming 
home, I could have claimed it and the interest in ad- 
dition. 'Take away from him the fifty- dollars', he 
said to the by-standers, 'and give them to the one 
who has five-hundred'. 

'But, sir', they interposed, 'he has five-hundred 
dollars already!' 'Yes,' he went on, 'I tell you 
that all who retain anything will have more given 
them, but those who retain nothing will have even 
what they had taken away. But as for my enemies 
yonder, the men who did nofc wish me to be their 
King, bring them here and put them to death in 
my presence' ". 

After speaking thus, Jesus went on in front, on 
His way up to Jerusalem. 



DIVISION V. 



The Last Days of Jesus' flinistry. 



CHAPTER XLIIL 

1. Passover But the Jewish Festival of 
Nearing the Passover was near; and 

numbers of people had gone 
up from the country to Jerusalem for their 'puri- 
fication' before the Festival began. So they 
looked for Jesus there, and said to one another as 
they stood in the Temple Courts: 

' 'What do you think? Do you think that He will 
come to the Festival? " 

The Chief Priests and the Pharisees had already 
issued orders that, if anyone learnt where Jesus 
was, he should give information, so that they 
might arrest Him. 

2. Jesus Anoint- Six days before the Passover, 

ed by Mary Jesus came to Bethany, where 
Lazarus whom He had raised from the dead, was 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 207 

living. There a supper was given in His honor in 
the house of Simeon, the leper; Martha waiting at 
the table and Lazarus being one of the guests. 
Mary took a pound of choice spikenard perfume 
of great value in an alabaster jar. She broke the 
jar and poured the perfume on Jesus' head and 
anointed His feet with it, and then wiped them 
with her hair, the whole house being filled with 
the scent of the perfume. One of the disciples, 
Judas Iscariot, who was about to betray Jesus, 
asked; 

"Why was not this perfume sold for one hun- 
dred dollars, and the money given to the poor? " 
He did not, however, say this because he cared 
about the poor, but because he had charge of the 
purse and was a thief, and used to take what was 
put in it. 

"Let her alone, " Jesus said, as he began finding 
fault with her, "Why are you interfering with her? 
This is a beautiful thing that she has done for me. 
You always have the poor with you, and whenever 
you like you can do them good; but you will not al- 
ways have me. She has done what she could ; she has, 
in anticipation, perfumed my body for my burial. 
And believe me, wherever, in the whole World, 
the Good News is proclaimed, what this woman 
has done will be told in memory of her." 
Now great numbers of the Jews found out that 
Jesus was at Bethany; and they came there, not 
solely on His account, but also to see Lazarus 
whom He had raised from the dead. The Chief 
Priests, however, plotted to put Lazarus, as well 
as Jesus, to death, because it was owing to him 



208 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

that many of the Jews had left them, and were 
becoming believers in Jesus. 

3, Jesus Enters It was on the morrow, when 

Jerusalem they had nearly reached 

Jerusalem, having got as far 

as Bethphage, on the Mount of Olives, that Jesus 

sent on two disciples. 

"Go to the village facing you", He said, "and 
you will soon find an ass tied up there with a foal 
by her side whereon no man ever yet sat; unfasten 
them, and lead them to me. And if any one says 
anything to you, you are to say, 'The Master re- 
quires them'; and he will send them at once." 
This happened in fulfillment of these words of the 
Prophet — 

'Say to the daughter of Zion — 
"Behold, thy King is coming to you, 
Gentle, and riding on an ass, 
And on the foal of a beast of burden' ' '. 
So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed 
them. They found a foal and its mother, tied up 
outside a door in the street; and they untied them. 
Some of the bystanders, the owners, asked what 
they were doing, untying the ass and the foal, but 
the two disciples answered as Jesus had told them; 
and so they allowed them to go. They led back 
the ass and foal to Jesus, and when they had put 
their cloaks on them, He seated himself on these. 
The vast crowd of people then spread their cloaks 
in the road, and others kept cutting branches off 
the trees, and spreading them on the road. When 
He had got almost as far as where the road led 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 209 

down the Mount of Olives, every one of the many 
disciples began in their joy to praise God loudly 
for all the miracles they had seen, both the crowds 
that led the way, as well •as' those that followed 
behind, by shouting: 

' ' God bless the son of David, our King! 
Blessed is the One ivho Comes in the name of the 
Lord! 

God bless Him from on high even the King of 
Israel! " 
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him: 

"Teacher reprove your disciples". But Jesus 
answered: 

"I tell you, that if these men are silent, the 
very stones will call out. ' ' 

His disciples did not understand all this at first; 
but when Jesus had entered on His glory, then 
they remembered that these things had been said 
about Him in the Scriptures, and that they had 
done these things to Him. Meanwhile the people 
who were with Him, when He called Lazarus 
out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, 
were telling every one about it. This, indeed, was 
why the crowd met him — because the people had 
heard that He had given this sign of His mission. 
The whole city was stirred, every one asking — 

"Who is this? "; to which the crowd replied — 

' 'This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Gal- 
lilee". So the Pharisees said to one another: 

"You see that you are gaining nothing! Why, 
all the World has run after Him! " 

4. Jesus Weeps When He had gotten near the 
city, where He could see it 

(14) 



210 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Jesus shed tears over it, and said: 

4 'Would that you had learnt, while there was 
time — yes, even you — the things that make for 
peace! But as it is, they have been hidden from 
your sight. For a time is coming for you, when 
your enemies will surround you with earthworks, 
and encircle you, and hem you in on all sides; they 
vrill trample you down and your children within you, 
and they will not leave in you one stone upon 
another, because you did not see that God was 
visiting you." 

Jesus then entered Jerusalem, and went into the 
Temple Courts; and after looking round at every- 
thing, as it was already late, He went out to 
Bethany with the Twelve. 

5. The Fruitless Next morning.in returning to 
Fig Tree the city, Jesus became hun- 

gry; and noticing a solitary 
fig tree on the roadside, He went up to it, but 
found nothing on it but leaves. So He said to it: 
"Never again shall fruit be gathered from you." 
Upon this the fig tree withered up instantly. When 
the disciples saw this, they exclaimed in astonish- 
ment: 

"How instantly the fig tree withered up! " 
"Believe me," Jesus replied, "if you have faith, 
without a single doubt, you will not only do what 
has been done to the fig tree, but even if you 
should say to this hill, 'Up, and hurl yourself into 
the sea! ' the thing will be done. And whatever 
you ask for in your prayers will, if you have faith, 
be granted you." 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 211 

6. Traders Driven Then Jesus entered the 

from the Temple Courts, and drove out 

Temple Courts all who were buying and sell- 
ing there. He upset the 
tables of the money-changers, and the seats of the 
pigeon dealers, and would not allow any one to 
carry anything across the Temple Courts. Then 
He began to teach, .saying to them: 

' 'Scripture says — 'My House shall be called a House 
of Prayer for all nations' ; you, however, are making 
it a den of robbers". 

7. Children While He was still in the 
Welcome Jesus Temple Courts, some blind 

and lame came up to Him and 
He cured them. But when the Chief Priests and 
Rabbis saw the wonderful things which Jesus did, 
and the boys who were calling out in the Temple 
Courts, 

"God bless the Son of David! ", they were indig- 
nant and said to Him: 

"Do you hear what these boys are doing? " 
"Yes", He said; "but did you never read the 
words, l Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou 
has produced perfect praise' ? " Then He left; them, 
and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the 
night there. 



CHAPTER XLIV. 

1. Pharisees Jesus continued to teach each 

Question the day in the Temple Courts; but 

Authority of the Chief Priests and the Rab- 

Jesus bis were eager to take His life. 

and so were the leading men. 

Yet they could not find out how to manage it, for 

the people all hung on His lips. After Jesus had 

entered the Temple Courts, the Chief Priests and 

Councilors of the nation came up to Him as He 

was teaching the people and telling the Good 

News and said: 

"What right have you to act as you do? Who 
gave you this right? " 

"I, too, " said Jesus in reply, "have one ques- 
tion to ask you; if you tell me, then I, too, on my 
side, will tell you what right I have to act as I do. 
It is about John's baptism. Was its origin divine 
or human? " 
But they began arguing together: 

"If we say 'divine', He will say to us, 
'Why then did you not believe him? ' 
But if we say 'human', we are afraid 
of the people who will stone us; for every one 
regards John as a Prophet". 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 213 

So the answer that they gave Jesus was — "We do 
not know". 

"I, too, refuse", He said, "to tell you what 
right I have to act as I do. " 

2. Parable of the * 'What is your opinion? There 

Two Sons was once a man who had two 

sons. He went up to the 
elder and said, ; Go and work in the vineyard to- 
day, my son'. 

'Yes, sir', he answered; but he did not go. Then, 
the father went up to the second son, and said the 
same. 'I will not', he answered; but afterwards 
he felt sorry and went. Which of the two sons 
did as his father wished? " 

"The second," they said. 

"Believe me", Jesus added, "tax-collectors and 
prostitutes are going into the Kingdom of Heaven 
before you. For when John came to you on your 
strict religious lines you did not believe in him, 
while tax-collectors and prostitutes did; and yet you, 
though you saw this, did not even after that feel 
sorry and believe him." 

3. Parable of the "Listen to another story. — 
Wicked Tenants A man, who was an employer, 

once planted a vineyard, put a 
fence round it, dug a wine press, built a tower, and 
then let it out to tenants, and went abroad for a 
considerable time. When the time for the vintage 
came near, he sent his servants to the 
tenants to receive his share of the produce. 
But the tenants seized his servants, beat one and 
sent him empty-handed away, killed another, and 



214 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

stoned a third. A second time the owner sent 
some servants, a larger number than at first, and 
these were treated in the same way. A third time 
he sent others and these they treated in the same 
way, throwing them outside of the vineyard. 
'What shall I do? ' said the owner of the vineyard. 
'I will send my son whom I dearly love'. As a last 
resort he sent him to them. 'They will respect 
my son', he said. But the tenants, on seeing his 
son, said to each other, 'Here is the heir! Come 
and let us kill him, and get his inheritance'. So 
they seized him, and threw him outside the vine- 
yard, and killed him. Now when the owner of the 
vineyard arrives, what will he do to those tenants? ' ' 
"Miserable wretches! " they exclaimed, "he will 
put them to a miserable death and let the vineyard 
to other tenants, who will pay him his share of the 
produce at the proper times. " 
Then Jesus added: 

"Have you never read in the Scripture? 
'The very stone ivhich the builders despised — 
Has now itself become the cornerstone; 
This stone has come from the Lord, 
And is marvellous in our eyes. ' 

For this reason, I tell you, the Kingdom of God 
will be taken from you, and given to a nation that 
does produce the fruit of the Kingdom. Yes, and 
those who fall on this stone will be dashed to pieces, 
while any one on whom it falls — it will scatter him 
as dust." 

After listening to these stories, the Chief Priests 
and Pharisees saw that it was about them that He 
had been speaking. But though eager to arrest 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 215 

Him, they were afraid of the crowds, who regarded 
Him as a Prophet. 

4. Parable of the Once more Jesus addressed 
Marriage Feast them in the form of a story. 

"The Kingdom of Heaven, " 
He said, "may be compared to a king who gave a 
feast in honor of his son's marriage. He sent his 
servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, 
but they were unwilling to come. A second time 
he sent some servants, with orders to say to those 
who had been invited, 'I have got my feast ready, 
my cattle and fat beasts are killed — everything is 
in readiness; come to the feast! ' They, however 
took no notice, and went off, one to his farm, 
another to his business; while the rest, seizing liis 
servants, insulted and killed them. Enraged at 
this, the king sent his troops and put to death 
those murderers, and set their city on fire. Then 
he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready but 
those who were invited were not fit to come. So 
go to the cross-roads and invite to the feast 
every one you find'. The servants went 
out into the roads and got together all 
the people they found there, whether good 
or bad; and the banquet-hall was filled with 
guests. When the king went in to see his guests, 
he noticed there a man who had no wedding-robe 
on. So he said to him, 'My friend, how have you 
come in here without a wedding-robe? ' The man 
was dumfounded. The king said to the attendants, 
'Tie his hands and feet, and "put him into the 
darkness" outside, where there will be weeping 
and grinding of teeth.' For while many are in- 
vited few are chosen." 



CHAPTER XLV. 

1. A Question Then the Pharisees went and 
about Taxes held a consultation as to how 
they might lay a snare for 
Jesus in the course of conversation, and so enable 
them to hand Him over to the Governor's juris- 
diction and authority. So they sent their disciples 
with the Herodians as spies, who pretended to be 
honest men, to say to Him: 

"Teacher, we know that you are an honest man, 
and that you honestly teach the Way of God, and 
are not influenced by anyone; indeed you pay no 
regards to a man's position. So tell us your opin- 
ion. Are we right in paying taxes to the Emper- 
or, or not? " Perceiving their malice and deceit- 
fulness, Jesus answered: 

"Why are you putting this test to me, you hypo- 
crites? Show me the coin with which the tax is 
paid." So they brought Him a half-dollar. 
"Whose head and title are these? " He asked. 

"The Emperor's," they answered; on which He 
said to them: 

"Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the 
Emperor, 'and to God what belongs to God." 
They were surprised at His answer, and went 
away and left Him. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 217 

2. A Question That same day some Sadducees 
about the came up to Jesus maintaining 

Resurrection that there is no resurrection. 
Their question was this — 

"Teacher, Moses said, l If a man dies ivithout 
children, his brother shall become the husband of the 
widow, and raise up a family for his brother. ' Now 
we had living among us seven brothers; of whom 
the eldest married and died, and as he had no 
family, left his wife for his brother. The same 
thing happened to the second and the third brother, 
and all the seven, who died without leaving child- 
ren. The woman herself died last of all. After 
the resurrection, then, which of the seven will 
have her as his wife, all of them having married 
her? " 

"Your mistake," Jesus replied, "is due to your 
ignorance of the Scripture, and the power of God. 
For after the resurrection from the dead for those 
who are thought fit to attain to that other World, 
there is no marrying or being married, nor indeed 
can they die again, but in Heaven they live on an 
equality with the angels, and having shared in the 
resurrection, they are God's children. Again, as 
to the fact of the resurrection of the dead, have 
you not read these words of God in the Book of 
Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God 
spoke to him thus; — l I am the God of Abraham, and 
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? ' God is not 
God of dead, but living people, everyone being a- 
live to Him. ' ' 

The crowds, who had been listening to Him, were 
greatly sturck with His teaching. 



218 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"Well said, Teacher!" exclaimed some of the 
Rabbis, for they did not venture to question Him 
any further. 

3. A Question When the Pharisees heard 

about the that Jesus had silenced the 

Commandments Sadclucees, they collected to- 
gether. Then one of them, a 
Teacher of the Law who had heard the discussion, 
by way of testing Him, put this question — 

"Which is the first of all the commandments? ' r 

"The first one is," Jesus answered, "'Hear, 
Israel; the Lord our God is the one Lord; and thou 
shalt love the Lord thy God ivith all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, 
and with all thy strength.' The second is 
this — 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as if 
he were thyself.' No greater commandment than 
these is to be found. On these two command- 
ments hang all the Law and the Prophets too." 

"Well answered, Teacher! " the Lawyer exclaim- 
ed. "It is true, as you say, that 'there is one God, 
and that 'there is no one beside Him;' and to 'love 
with all one's heart, and with all one's understanding , 
and with all one's strength' and to 'love one's neigh- 
bor as if he were one's self is far be3 r ond all 'burnt 
offerings and sacrifices.' ' Seeing that he had an- 
swered wisely, Jesus said to him : 

"You are not far from the Kingdom of God." 

4. Jesus puts a Before the Pharisees separa- 
question about ted, as He was teaching in the 

The Christ Temple, Jesus put this ques- 
tion to them — 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 219 

"What is your opinion about the Christ? Whose 
son is He? " 

"David's," they said. 

"How is it then," Jesus replied, "that David, 
speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, 
as recorded in the Book of Psalms, calls Him 
'Master, ' in the passage 

'The Lord said to my Master: 

i( Sit at my right hand, 

Until I put thy enemies beneath thy feet? " 
Since, then, David calls Him 'Master,' how is He 
David's son?" 

No one could say a word in answer; nor did any 
one after that day venture to question Him further. 



CHAPTER XLVI. 

1. Warning Meanwhile, the great mass of 

against the people were listening to Jesus 

Rabbis with delight. Then Jesus, 

speaking to the crowds and to 

His disciples, said: 

"The Rabbis and the Pharisees now occupy the 
chair of Moses. Therefore practice and lay to 
heart everything they tell you, but do not follow 
their example, for they preach but do not practice. 
While they make up heavy loads and pile them on 
other people's shoulders, they decline, themselves, 
to lift a finger to move them. Indeed, all their ac- 
tions are done to attract attention. They widen 
the texts which they wear as charms, and increase 
the size of their tassels, and like having the places 
of honor at dinners, and in the front seats in the 
Synagogues, and are fond of walking about in long 
robes, and being greeted in the streets with re- 
spect, and being called Rabbi by every one. They 
are the men that eat widows out of house and home 
under the pretext of saying long prayers. These 
men will receive all the heavier sentence. But do 
not you allow yourselves to be called 'Rabbi,' for 
you have only one Teacher, and you yourselves are 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 221 

all brothers. And do not call any one upon the 
Earth your 'Father, ' for you have only one Father, 
the Heavenly Father. Nor must you allow your- 
selves to be called 'Leaders,' for you have only 
one Leader, the Christ. The man who would be 
greatest among you must act as your servant. 
All who exhalt themselves will be humbled, and 
all who humble themselves will be exhalted. " 

2. Jesus De- ' 'But alas for you, Rabbis and 
nounces the Pharisees, hypocrites that you 
Pharisees are!— because you close the 
Kingdom of Heaven in men's 
faces. You do not go in yourselves, nor yet allow 
those who are going in to do so. Alas for you, 
Rabbis and Pharisees, hypocrites that you are! — 
because you scour both land and sea to make one 
convert, and when he is gained, you make him 
twice as ready for the Pit as you are yourselves. 
Alas for you, you blind guides, who say, 'If any 
one swears by the Temple, his oath counts for 
nothing; but if any one swears by the Temple-gold, 
his oath is binding on him' ! Fools that you are! 
What blindness! Why, which is the more import- 
ant? the gold? or the Temple which has given 
sacredness to the gold? You say, too, 'If any one 
swears by the altar, his oath counts for nothing, 
but if any one swears by the offering placed on it, 
his oath is binding on him!' What blindness! 
Why, which is the more important? the offering? 
or the altar which gives sacredness to the offer- 
ing? Therefore a man swearing by the altar, is 
swearing by it and everything on it, and a man 



222 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

swearing by the Temple is swearing by it and Him 
who dwells in it, while a man swearing by Heaven 
is swearing by the throne of God and by Him who 
sits upon it. Alas for you, Rabbis and Pharisees, 
hypocrites that you are! — because you pay tithes 
on mint, fennel, and carra way -seed, and have 
neglected the weightier matters of Law — justice, 
mercy and good faith. These last you ought to 
have put into practice, without neglecting the 
first. You blind guides, to strain out a gnat and 
swallow a camel! Alas for you, Rabbis and Phar- 
isees, hypocrites that you are! — because that you 
clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, while 
inside they are full of the fruits of grasping 
and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisees! First 
clean the inside of the cup and the dish, so that 
the outside may become clean as well. Alas for 
you, Rabbis and Pharisees, hypocrites that you 
are ! — because you are like the tombs that have been 
whitewashed, and look beautiful on the outside, 
while inside they are filled with dead men's bones 
and all kinds of filth. . It is the same with you. 
Outwardly, and to others, you have the look of 
religious men, but inwardly you are full of hypoc- 
risy and sin. Alas for you, Rabbis and Pharisees, 
hypocrites that you are! — because you build the 
tombs of the Prophets, and decorate the monu- 
ments of religious men, and say, 'Had we been 
living in the days of our forefathers, we should 
have taken no part in their murder of the 
Prophets! ' In this way you supply evidence 
against yourselves that you are true children of 
the men who murdered the Prophets. Pill up the 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 223 

measure of your forefathers' guilt. You serpents 
and offsprings of vipers! How can you escape 
being sentenced to the Pit? This is why I send 
you Prophets, wise men, and Rabbis; some of 
whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will 
flog in your synagogues, and pursue from town to 
town; that upon your heads may fall every drop 
of innocent 'blood spilt on the Earth.' from the 
blood of innocent Abel down to that of Zachariah, 
Barachiah's son, whom you murdered between the 
Temple and the Altar. All this, believe me, will 
come home to the present generation. " 

3. Jesus Laments "Jerusalem! Jerusalem! she 

the Fate of who slays the Prophets, and 
Jerusalem the Messengers sent to her — O 
how often have I wished to 
gather your children round me, as a hen gathers 
her chickens under her wings, and you refused to 
come! I tell you, your House will be left desolate: 
for nevermore shall you see me until you say, 
[Blessed is the One Coming in the name of the Lord! ' " 

4. The Widow's Then Jesus sat down opposite 

Offering the chests for the Temple 

offerings, and watched how 
people were putting money into them. Many rich 
people were putting in large sums; but one poor 
widow came, and put in two farthings, which make 
one cent. On this, calling His disciples to Him, 
Jesus said: 

"Believe me, this poor widow has put more 
in than all the others who were putting money into 
the chests; for every one else put in something 
from what they had to spare, while she, in her 
poverty, put in all she possessed — the whole of 
what she had to live on". 



CHAPTER XL VII. 

1. Jesus Closes Among those who had come 

His Public up to worship at the Festival 

Ministry were some Greeks, who went 

to Philip of Bethsaida in Gal- 

lilee, and said: 

"We should like, Sir, to see Jesus." Philip 
went and told Andrew, and then together they 
went and told Jesus. This was His reply: 

' 'The time is come for the Son of Man to enter 
on His glory. Believe me, unless a grain of wheat 
falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; 
but if it dies, it becomes very fruitful. Those who 
love their lives lose them; while those who hate 
their lives in the present World will preserve them 
for enduring Life. If any one is serving me, he 
must follow me; and where I am, my servant will 
be. If anyone is serving me; my Father will 
honor him. Now I am troubled at hearty and what 
shall I say? Father, bring me safe out of this 
time of trial — yet it was for this very reason that 
I came to this time — Father, honor thine own 
name". 

At this there came a voice from the sky which 
said: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 225 

"I have already honored it, and I will honor it 
again". 

The crowd of bystanders, who heard the sound, 
exclaimed: 

"That was thunder! " Others said: 

"It was an angel speaking to Him". 

"It was not for my sake that the voice came", 
Jesus said, "but for yours. This World is now on 
trial. The Spirit that now rules it will be driven 
out; and I, when I am lifted up from the Earth, 
will draw all men to myself". By these words He 
indicated what kind of death He was going to die. 

"We have learnt from the Law", the people 
replied, "that ^the Christ is to remain forever'; 
how is it, then, that you say that the Son of Man 
must be 'lifted up'? Who is this 'Son of Man'? " 

"It is only a little while longer", Jesus an- 
swered, "that you will have the Light among you. 
Travel on while you have the Light, so that dark- 
ness may not overtake you; for those who travel 
in darkness do not know where they are going. 
While you still have the Light, believe in it, so 
that you may become truly enlightened." 

2. Results of the Having said this, Jesus went 
Ministry away, and hid himself from 

them. But though Jesus had 
given so many signs of His mission before their 
eyes, they still did not believe in Him, in fulfill- 
ment of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, where 
he says — 

'Lord, ivho lias believed our report? 

And to ivhom has the might of the Lord been 
revealed? ' 

(15) 



226 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

The reason why they were unable to believe is 
given elsewhere by Isaiah, in these words: 

'He had Minded their eyes, 

And blunted their minds, 

So that they should not see ivith their eyes, 

And understand ivith their minds, and turn — 

And then I should cure them. ' 
Isaiah said this because he saw Christ's glory; and 
it was of Him that he spoke. Yet for all this, 
even among the leading men there were many who 
came to believe in Jesus; but on account of the 
Pharisees they did not acknowledge it, for fear 
they should be expelled from their Synagogues; 
for they valued the praise of men more than they 
did that of God. 

3. Summary Now Jesus, speaking loudly, 

of the Last had said: 
Teaching "Those who believe in me, 

believe not so much in me as 
in Him who sent me; and those who see me, see 
Him who sent me. I have come as a Light into 
the World, so that all who believe in me, may not 
remain in darkness. If any one hears my teaching 
and pays no attention to it, it is not I who judge 
him; for I have not come to judge the World, but 
to save it. Those who reject me, and disregard 
my teaching, have a judge already — the very 
Message which I have delivered will itself be the 
Judge at the Last Day. For I have not delivered 
it on my own authority; but the Father, who sent 
me, has himself given me His command as to what 
I should say, and what message I should deliver. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 227 

Moreover, I know that enduring Life lies in what 
He commands. So, whatever I say, I only say 
what the Father has told me. " 

4. Jesus Foretells Leaving the Temple Courts, 
the Destruction Jesus was walking away, when 
of the Temple His disciples came up and drew 
His attention to the Temple 
buildings, decorated with beautiful stones and of- 
ferings. 

"Do you see all these things ? " was His answer. 
"Believe me, not a single stone will be left here 
upon another, but all will be thrown down. " 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

1. Jesus Fore- While Jesus was sitting on the 

tells Wars and Mount of Olives, His disciples 

Persecutions came up to Him, and privately 

requested Him to tell them 

when this would be, and what would be the sign 

of His Coming, and of the close of the Age. 

Jesus replied to them as follows: 

"Be careful that no one leads you astray; for 
many will come taking my name, and saying, 'The 
time is close at hand, I am the Christ,' and will 
lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and 
rumors of wars; take care not to be alarmed, for 
such things must occur; still the end is not yet here. 
For nation will rise against nation and Kingdom 
against kingdom, and there will be famines and 
earthquakes in various places. All this, however, 
will be but the beginning of the birth-pangs! When 
that time comes, they will take you prisoners and 
persecute you, and they will give you up to Syna- 
gogues and prisons, when you will be taken be- 
fore kings, and governors for my sake. Then will 
be your opportunity of witnessing for me. Make 
up your minds, then, not to prepare your defence; 
for I will myself give you words, and a wisdom 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 229 

which all your opponents will not be able to resist 
or defy. Brother, too, will give brother up to 
death, and a father his child; and children will turn 
against their parents, and have them put to death; 
and you will be hated by every oue on my account; 
yet not a single hair of your head shall be lost. 
It will be by the endurance you exhibit that you 
will secure your lives. And then many will fall a- 
way, and they will betray one another, and will 
hate one another. " 

2. Destruction "When you see Jerusalem sur- 
of Jerusalem rounded by armed camps, then 
Foretold j^ou may know that the hour 
of her desecration is at hand. 
As soon then as you see the desecration Horror men- 
tioned by the Prophet Daniel set up in the Holy 
Place," (the reader will see what is meant) "then 
those who are in Judaea must take refuge in the 
mountains, and a man on the house-top must not 
go down to get the things iu his house, nor must 
one who is on his farm turn back to get his cloak. 
For these are to be the Days of Vengance, when 
all that Scripture says will be fulfilled. They will 
fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken 
captive into all nations; and Jerusalem shall be 
ruled by the heathen, until the Days of the Heath- 
en are ended. And alas for the women who are 
with child, and for those who are nursing infants 
in those days! Pray, too, that your flight may 
not occur in winter-time, or on a Sabbath; for that 
will be a time of great distress, the like of which has 
not occurred from the beginning of the World down to 



230 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

the present time — no, nor will ever again. At that 
time of two men on a farm one will be taken, and 
the other left; of two women grinding with the 
hand-mill, one will be taken and one left. And 
had not those days been curtailed by God, there 
would have been no escape for a single person; 
but for the sake of 'God's People' they will be 
curtailed. I tell you, truly, this present genera- 
tion shall not pass away till all these things have 
occurred. " 

3. The End of "If anyone says to you, then, 
The Age 'Look! here is the Christ!' or 

'He is here!', do not believe it; 
for pretended Christs and pretended Prophets will a- 
rise to lead many in the wrong way, and will display 
great signs and marvels, so that, were it possible, 
even God's own chosen People would be led astray; 
and owing to the increase of wickedness, most 
men's love will grow cold. Still those who per- 
severe to the end will be saved. Remember, I 
have forewarned you. So if people say to you, 
*He is in the desert!', do not go out there; or 'He 
is in an inner room!', do not believe it; for just as 
lightning will start from the east and flash to the 
west so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 
Wherever a dead body lies there will the vultures 
flock. Immediately after the distress of those days, 
the sun will be darkened, and the moon ivill not give 
its light, and the stars ivill fall from the sky, and the 
forces of the skies ivill be convulsed. And this Good 
News of the Kingdom will be proclaimed first to 
every person throughout the whole World as a 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 231 

testimony to all nations; and then will come the 
end. Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man 
in the sky and all the tribes of the land will mourn, 
when they see the Son of Man coming on clouds of 
the sky, with power and great glory, but you shall 
look up and lift up your heads for your redemp- 
tion is drawing near; and He will send His angels 
with a great trumpet, and they will gather His Peo- 
ple round Him from the four winds, from one horizon 
to the other." 

4. Need for "Learn the lesson taught by a 

Watchfulness fig tree. As soon as ever its 
branches are full of sap and it 
is bursting into leaf, you feel sure that summer is 
near. And so may you, as soon as you see all 
these things, feel sure that He is at your doors. 
Believe me, even this Race [Jewish] will not pass 
away till all this has taken place. Earth and sky will 
pass away, but my words can never pass away. 
But about the actual Day and Hour, no one has any 
knowledge — not even the angels of Heaven; nor 
yet the Son Himself — but only the Father. For 
just as in the days of Noah, so it will be at the 
Coming of the Son of Man. In those days before 
the flood, they went on eating and drinking, marry- 
ing and being married, up to the day on which 
Noah entered the ark, taking no notice till the flood 
came and swept them one and all away, and so it 
will be at the Coming of the Son of Man. 

Guard yourselves against your minds ever being 
dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxie- 
ties of life, and against That Day coming suddenly 
on you like a trap. For come it will upon all who 



232 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

are living anyivhere on the face of the Earth. So be 
always on your watch; and pray that you may suc- 
ceed in escaping all that is about to happen, and 
in standing in the presence of the Son of Man, for 
you do not know on what day your Master is com- 
ing. Of this you may be sure, that, had the owner of 
the house known what time of the night the thief 
was coming, he would have been on the watch, and 
would not have allowed his house to be broken in- 
to. Therefore you also should get ready, since it is 
just when you are least expecting Him that the 
Son of Man will come." 

5. Parable of "Who, I wonder, answers to 
the Good and the trustworthy, thoughtful 
Bad Servants servant, who has been placed 
by his master over his house- 
hold, to give them their food at the proper time? 
Happy will that servant be whom his master, when 
he comes home, shall find doing as he was told. 
Believe me, his master will give him the manage- 
ment of the whole of his property. But should he 
be a bad servant, and say to himself, 'My master 
is a long time coming, ' and so begin to beat his 
fellow-servants, and eat and drink with drunkards; 
that servant's master will come home on a day 
when he does not expect him, and at an hour of 
which he is ignorant, and will flog him severely, 
and allot him a place among the hypocrites, where 
there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. So 
be on the watch and pray for you do not know 
when the Master of the house is coming — whether 
in the evening, at midnight, at day-break, or in the 
morning — for fear He should come suddenly and 
find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to 
all — 'Be on the watch. ' " 



CHAPTER XLIX. 

1. Parable of "The Kingdom of Heaven will 

the Ten then be like ten bridesmaids 

Bridesmaids who took their lamps and went 
out to meet the bridegroom. 
Five of them were foolish and five were prudent. 
The foolish ones took their lamps but took no oil in 
them, while the prudent ones, besides taking their 
lamps, took oil in their cans. As the bridegroom 
was a long time coming, they all became drowsy, 
and went to sleep. But at midnight a shout was 
raised — 'The bridegroom! The bridgroom! Come 
out and meet him! ' At this all the bridesmaids 
got up and trimmed their lamps. Then the foolish 
bridesmaids said to the prudent ones, 'Give us 
some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' 'No,' 
answered the prudent ones, 'we fear there will not 
be enough for us and you as well. You had better 
go to those who sell it, and buy some for your- 
selves. ' While they were on their way to do so, 
the bridegroom came, and the bridesmaids who 
were ready went in with him to the feast; and the 
door was shut. Afterwards the other bridesmaids 
came. 'Sir, Sir,' they said, 'open the door for 
us!' But the bridegroom answered, 'No, I do not 



234 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

know you. ' So then be on the watch since you do not 
know either the Day or the Hour." 

2. Parable of "It is as though a man, going 
Servants En- on his travels, called his pri- 
trusted with vate servants, and entrusted 
Money them with his property. He 

gave fifteen-thousand dollars 
to one, six-thousand to another, and three-thous - 
and to a third, fixing the amount in proportion to 
the ability of each. Then he set on his travels. 
The man who had received the fifteen-thousand 
dollars went at once and earned more with them, 
till he had made another fifteen-thousand. In the 
same way the man who had received the six-thou- 
sand dollars made another six-thousand. But 
the man who had received the three -thousand 
went and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his 
master's money. After a long time the master of 
those servants returned, and settled accounts with 
them. The man who had received the fifteen- 
thousand dollars came with an additional fifteen- 
thousand, and said, 'Master, you entrusted me 
with fifteen-thousand dollars; look, I have made 
another fifteen-thousand! ' 'Well done, you good, 
faithful servant! ' said his master. 'You have 
been faithful with a small sum; now I will put a 
large one into your hands; come and share your 
master's enjoyment! ' 

Then the one who had received the six-thousand 
dollars came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted 
me with six-thousand dollars; look, I have made 
another six-thousand! ' 'Well done, you good, 
faithful servant! ' said his master. 'You have 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 235 

been faithful with a small sum; now I will put a 
large one into your hands; come and share your 
master's enjoyment! ' The man who had received 
the three-thousand dollars came up, too, and said, 
'Master I knew you were a hard man; you reap 
where you have not sown, and gather where you 
have not thrashed; and, in my fear I went and hid 
your money in the ground; look, here is what be- 
longs to you! ' 'You lazy, good-for-nothing serv- 
ant! ' was his master's reply. 'You knew, did 
you? that I reap where I have not sown, and 
gather where I have not thrashed. Then you 
were bound to have placed my money in the hands 
of bankers, in which case I, on coming home, 
should have received my money, and interests in 
addition. Therefore,' he continued, 'take away 
from him the three-thousand dollars, and give them 
to the one who has the thirty-thousand. For all 
who retain anything will have more given them, 
till they have abundance; but those who retain 
nothing will have even what they had taken 
away from them. As for the useless servant, 'put 
him out into the darkness outside, where there 
will be weeping and grinding of teeth.' " 

3. Principles " 'As soon as the Son of Man' 

of the Divine has come in glory and ivith Him 

Judgment all the angels, He 'will take 

His seat on His glorious 

throne;' and all the nations will be gathered before 

Him, and He will separate the people — just as a 

shepherd separates sheep from goats placing the 

sheep on his right, and the goats on his left. 

Then He, the King, will say to those on his right, 



236 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

'Come, you on whom my Father's blessing rests, 
enter upon the possession of the Kingdom prepared 
for you ever since the beginning of the World. 
For, when I was hungry, you gave me food; when 
I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink; 
when I was a stranger, you took me to your homes; 
when I was half-naked, you clothed me; when I 
fell ill, you visited me; and when I was in prison 
you came to see me. ' On this the Good will answer 
'Master, when did we see you hungry, and feed 
you? or thirsty, and give you something to drink? 
When did we see you a stranger, and take you to 
our homes? or half-naked and clothe you? When 
did we see you ill, or in prison, and come to visit 
you? ' 'I tell you,' the King will reply, 'so far as 
you did it to one of these my brothers, however 
lowly, you did it to me. ' Then he will say to those 
on the left, 'Leave my presence, you on whom a 
curse rests, and go into the enduring 'fire' which 
is 'prepared for the Devil and his angels. ' For, 
when I was hungry, you gave me no food; when I 
was thirsty, you gave me nothing to drink; when 
I was a stranger, you did not take me to your 
homes; when I was half -naked, you did not clothe 
me; and when I was ill, and in prison, you did not 
visit me. ' On this they, in turn, will answer, 
'Master, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, 
or a stranger, or half-naked, or ill, or in prison, 
and not attend to your wants? ' And to this He 
will reply, 'I tell you that so far as you neglected 
to do so to one of these, however lowly, you neg- 
lected to do it to me. ' Then, these last will go away 



THE LIFE SUPREME, 237 

to enduring punishment, but the Good to endur- 
ing Life." 

4. Plot Against When Jesus had finished all 

Jesus His teaching, He said to His 

disciples— "You know that in 
two days' time the Festival of the Passover and 
Unleavened Bread will be here, and that then the Son 
of Man is to be given up for Crucifixion." About 
that time the Chief Priests and Councilors of the 
Nation met in the house of the High Priest, who 
was called Caiaphas, and plotted together to arrest 
Jesus by a strategem and put him to death; but 
they said that they had better not do so during the 
Festival, for fear of causing a riot. 

5. Judas Agrees Now Satan took possession of 
to Betray Jesus Judas, who went by the name 

of Iscariot and who was reck- 
oned as one of the Twelve, and he went and dis- 
cussed with the Chief Priests and Officers in charge 
at the Temple the best way of betraying Jesus to 
them. They were glad of this, and agreed to pay 
him for it. Judas said: 

"What are you willing to give me and I will de- 
liver Him to You? " 

The Priests iveighed him out thirty pieces of silver as 
payment. So Judas assented, and began to watch 
for an opportunity of betraying Jesus to them, 
when there were not many people about. 



DIVISION VI 



Preparation, Betrayal, Death and 
Burial of Jesus. 



CHAPTER L. 



1. Preparation When the day of the Festival 

for the of Unleavened Bread came, 

Passover on which the Passover lambs 

had to be killed, Jesus sent on 

Peter and John, saying to them: 

"Go and make preparation for us to eat the 
Passover." 

"Where would you like us to do so? " they asked. 

"Why, when you get into the city," He answered, 
"a man carrying a jug of water will meet you; 
follow him into the house into which he goes, and 
you are to say to the owner of the house, 'The 
Teacher says to you, — My time is near, where is 
the room for me to eat my Passover in with my 
disciples for I must eat it in your house. ' The 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 239 

man will show you a large upstairs room all ar- 
ranged and prepared; that is where you are to 
prepare it." 

So Peter and John went on, and found everything 
just as Jesus had told them, and they prepared 
the Passover. 

2. Rank Among And a dispute arose among 

Christians the disciples as to which of 
them was regarded as ranking 
highest. Jesus, however, said: 

' 'The Kings of the heathen lord it over them, 
and their masters are known as 'Benefactors.' 
But with you it must not be so. On the contrary, 
those who are greatest among you must become 
like the youngest, and those who rule like those 
who serve. Which is the greater— the master at 
the table or his servant? Is it not the master at 
table? Yet I bear myself among you like the ser- 
vant. You are the men who stood by me in my 
trials; and just as my Father has assigned me a 
Kingdom, I assign you places, so that you may 
eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and be 
seated upon twelve thrones as judges of the twelve 
tribes of Isarel." 

3. Jesus Before the Passover Festival 
Washes the began, Jesus knew that the 

Disciples' Feet time had come for Him to 
leave the World and go to the 
Father; but He had loved those who were His own in 
the World, and He loved them to the last. Jesus — 
knowing that the Father had put everything into 
His hands, and that He had come from God, and 



240 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

was returning to God — got up from His place, and 
taking off his upper garments, tied a towel round 
His waist. He then poured some water into the 
basin, and began to wash che Disciples' feet, and 
wipe them with the towel which was tied round 
Him. When He came to Simon Peter, Peter said: 

"You, Master! Are you going to wash my feet?" 

"You cannot understand now what I am doing, " 
replied Jesus, "but you will learn by and by. " 

"You shall never wash my feet! " Peter ex- 
claimed. 

"Unless I do wash you," Jesus replied, "you 
have nothing in common with me." 

"Then, Master, not my feet only," exclaimed 
Simon Peter, "but my hands and head too! " 

"Those who have bathed," Jesus replied, "have 
no need to wash, unless it be their feet, but are 
altogether clean; and you," He said to His dis- 
ciples, "are clean, but not every one of you. " For 
He knew who was going to betray Him, and that 
was why He said that they were not every one of 
them clean. When He had washed their feet, and 
had put on His upper garments and taken His 
place He spoke to them again. 

"Do you understand what I have been doing to 
You?" He asked. 

"You call me 'the Teacher' and 'the Master' and 
you are right, for I am both. If I, then — 'the 
Master' and 'the Teacher', have washed your feet, 
you ought also to wash one another's feet; for I 
have given you an example, so that you may do 
just as I have done to you . A servant, believe me, 
is not greater than his master, nor yet a messenger, 



THE LIFE SUPBE31E. 241 

than the man who sends him. Now that you know 
these things, you will be happy if you do them. 
I am not speaking about all of you, I know whom 
I have chosen; but this is in fulfillment of the words 
of Scripture — 

'He that is eating my bread 
Has lifted his heel against me.' 
For the future I shall tell you of things before 
they take place, so that when they do, you may 
believe that I am what I say. Those who receive 
anyone that I send, I assure you, are receiving me; 
and those who receive me are receiving Him who 
sent me." 

4. The Passover "I have most earnestly wished" 

Meal He said, "to eat this Passover 

with you before I suffer. In- 
deed, I tell you, I shall never eat it again, until it 
has had its fulfillment in the Kingdom of God' '. 

5, Jesus Points After saying this, Jesus was 

out the deeply moved, and said sol- 

Betrayer emnly: 

' 'It is one of you who will 
betray me. True, the Son of Man is passing by 
the way appointed for Him, yet alas for that man 
by whom He is being betrayed! For that man 'it 
would have been better, never to have been born ' ". 
The disciples looked at one another in great sad- 
ness wondering whom He meant. One by one 
they began to say: 

"Is it I, Master?" Next to Jesus in the 
place on His right hand, was one of His 
disciples, who was very dear to Him. Simon 

(16) 



242 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

Peter made signs to that disciple, and whispered: 

"Tell me who it is that He means". Being in 
the position that he was, this disciple leant back 
on Jesus' shoulder, and asked Him: 

"Who is it, Master? " 

"It is the one", answered Jesus; "to whom I 
shall give a piece of bread after dipping it". And 
when Jesus had dipped the piece of bread, He 
took it and gave it to Judas, the son of Simeon 
Iscariot; and it was then, after he had received it, 
that Satan took possession of him. So Jesus said 
to Him: 

'•Do what you are going to do at once". 
No one at the table understood why He said this 
to Judas. Some thought, as Judas kept the purse, 
that Jesus meant that he was to buy some things 
needed for the Festival, or to give something to 
the poor. Alter taking the piece of bread, Judas 
went out immediately. It was then night. 

6. The Lord's When Judas had gone out, 
Supper while they were still eating, 

Jesus took some bread, and 
after blessing God, broke it up, giving it to 
His disciples with the words, "Take it and eat it; 
this is my body which is now to be given on your 
behalf. Do this in memory of me". 
Then He took a cup and after He had given thanks, 
gave it to them, saying as He did so: 

"Drink from it, all of you; for this is my Cove- 
nant-blood, which is poured out for many, for the 
forgiveness of sins; as often as you drink from it, 
do this in remembrance of me. ' ' And they all drank 
of it. "I tell you, I shall never after this drink 
of this juice of the grape, until the day when I 
shall drink it with you new in the Kingdom of 
my Father. Now the Son of Man has been 
honored in Him; and God will in himself honor 
Him — and that immediately." 



CHAPTER LI. 

1. Peter's Fall Then Jesus said to them: 

Foretold and "Even you will fall away 

New Command- from me to-night; for Script- 

ment Given ture says — l I loill strike down 
the shepherd, and the sheep of the 
flock will be scattered'. But after I have risen from 
the grave, I will go before you into Galilee. My 
children I am to be with you but a little longer. 
You will look for me; and what I said to the Jews 
— 'You cannot come where I am going' — I now say 
to you. I give you a new commandment — Love 
one another; love one another just as I have loved 
you. It is by this that every one will recognize 
you as my disciples — by the love you bear one 
another". 

"Where are you going, Master? " Peter asked. 

"I am going where you cannot now follow me", 
Jesus answered, "but you shall follow me later". 

"Why cannot I follow you now, Master? " 
asked Peter, "I will lay down my life for you. " 

"Will you lay down your life for me?" Jesus 
replied. 

' 'If every one else falls away from you", Peter 
replied, "I will never do so! " 



244 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

"Simon! Simon! listen. Satan demanded leave 
to sift you as wheat is sifted, but I prayed for you, 
Simon, that your faith should not fail. And I 
look to you, when you have returned to me, to 
strengthen your Brothers. Believe me", Jesus 
then stated, "this very night, before the cock 
crows twice, you will disown me three times! " 

"Even if I am to die with you", Peter exclaimed 
very vehemently, "I will never disown you! " 
All the disciples spoke in the same way. 

2. Jesus Comforts "Do not any of you be dis- 

the Disciples heartened. Believe in God, 
and believe in me, too. In 
my Father's house there are many rooms. If it 
had not been so, I should have told you; I am 
going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and 
prepare it I shall return, and take you to be with 
me, so that you may be where I am. And you know 
the way to the place where I am going". 

"We do not know where you are going, Master,'' 
said Thomas, "so how can we know the way?" 

"I myself", Jesus answered, "am the Way, the 
Truth, and the Life; no one ever comes to the 
Father except through me. If you had recognized 
me, you would have known my Father, too; for 
the future, however, you will recognize Him; in- 
deed you have already seen Him". 

"Master, show us the Father", said Philip, 
"and we shall be satisfied". 

"Have I been all this time among you", Jesus 
said, "and yet you, Philip, have not recognized 
me? Those who have seen me have seen the 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 245 

Father, so how can you still say 'Show us the 
Father'? Do you not believe that I am in union 
with the Father, and the Father with me? The 
truths that I am telling are not given on my own 
authority; but it is the Father who, being always 
in union with me, is doing these things himself. 
Believe me", He said to them all, "when I say 
that I am in union with the Father, and the Father 
with me, or else believe me on account of these 
very things which you see. I tell you, those who 
believe in me will themselves do the things that I 
am doing; and will do greater things still, because 
I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask as 
my followers, I will do; so that the Father may be 
honored in the Son. If you ask anything as my fol- 
lowers I will do it. " 

3. Jesus Prom- "If you love me, you will lay 
ises Another my commands to heart, and 
Helper I will ask the Father, and He 

will give you another Helper 
to be with you always — I mean the Spirit of Truth. 
The World cannot receive this Spirit because it 
does not see Him or recognize Him, but you recog- 
nize Him, because He is always with you, and is 
within you. I will not leave you bereaved; I will 
come to you. In a little while the World will see 
me no more, but you will still see me, because I 
am always living and you will be living also. At 
that time you will recognize that I am in union 
with the Father, and you with me, and I with you. 
It is those who have my commands and lay them 
to heart that love me; and those who love me will 



246 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

be loved by my Father, and I, too, will love them, 
and will reveal myself to them ' \ 

''What has happened, Master? " said Judas (not 
Judas Iscariot), "that you are going to reveal your- 
self to us, and not to the World? " 

'•Whoever loves me", Jesus answered, "will lay 
my teaching to heart; and my Father will love 
him, and we will come to him and make our home 
with him. Those who do not love me will not 
lay my teaching to heart; and the teaching you 
are listening to is not my own, but that of the 
Father who sent me. " 

4 A Farewell "I have told you all this while 
Blessing still with you, but the Helper 

— the Holy Spirit whom the 
Father will send to represent me — will teach you 
everything, and will remind you of every thing 
that I have said to you. And now I leave you a 
blessing, it is my own blessing that I give you. I 
do not give to you as the World gives. Do not be 
disheartened or dismayed. You heard me say 
that I was going away and would return to you. 
If you loved me you would have been glad that I 
was going to the Father, because the 
Father is greater than I am. So I have 
told you now before it happens, that when 
it does, you may still believe in me. I shall not 
talk with you much more, for the Spirit that rules 
the World is coming. Not that he has anything in 
common with me; but he is coming that the World 
may see that I love the Father, and that I do just 
as the Father commands me." 



CHAPTER LIL 

1. The Vine and "I am the True Vine, and my 
the Branches Father is the Vine-grower. He 
removes any of my branches, 
that do not bear fruit, and prunes every branch 
that does, that it may bear still more. You are 
already clean because of the teaching that I have 
given you. Remain united to me and I will remain 
united to you. As a branch cannot bear fruit of 
itself, unless it remains united to the vine; no 
more can you, unless you remain united to me. 
I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those that 
remain united to me while I remain united to them 
are those who bear fruit plentifully; for you can 
do nothing apart from me. And one who does 
not remain united to me is thrown away, as a 
branch would be, and withers up. Such branches 
are collected and thrown into the fire, and are 
burnt. If you remain united to me, and my teach- 
ing remains in your hearts, ask whatever you wish, 
and you shall have it. It is by your bearing fruit 
plentifully, and so showing yourselves my dis- 
ciples, that my Father is honored. As the Father 
has loved me, so have I loved you; keep in my 
love always. If you lay my commands to heart, 



248 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

you will keep my love; just as I have laid my 
Father's commands to heart, and always kept in 
His love. " 

2. Mutual Rela- "I have told you all this so 

tion of the that my own happiness may 
Branches be yours, and that your hap- 

piness may be complete. This 
is the command I give you — Love one another, as 
I have loved you. No one can give greater proof 
of love than by laying down his life for his friends. 
And you are my friends, if you do what I command 
you. I no longer call you 'servants', because a 
servant does not know what his master is doing; 
but I have given you the name of 'friends', be- 
cause I have made known to you everything that 
I learnt from my Father. It was not you who 
chose me, but I who chose you, and I sent you to 
go and bear fruit— fruit that should be lasting, so 
that the Father might grant you whatever you 
ask as my followers. I am giving you these com- 
mands so that you may love one another. " 

3. Relation to "If the World hates you, do 
the World not forget that it first hated 

me. If you belonged to the 
World, the World would love what was its own; 
but because you do not belong to it, but I have 
chosen you out of it — that is why the World hates 
you. Remember what I said to you — 'A servant 
is no greater than his master'. If they have per- 
secuted me, they will also persecute you; if they 
have laid my teaching to heart, they will lay 
yours to heart too. But they will do all this to 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 249 

you on my account, because they do not know 
Him who sent me. If I had. not come and spoken 
to them, they would have had no sin to answer 
for; but as it is, they have no excuse for their sin. 
Those who hate me hate my Father too. If I had 
not done among them such things as no one else 
ever did, they would have had no sin to answer 
for; but as it is, they have both seen and hated 
both me and my Father. And so is fulfilled what 
is said in their Law — ''They hated me without a cause. ' 
But when the Helper comes, whom I will send 
from the Father — I mean the Spirit of Truth, who 
comes from the Father — He will bear testimony 
to me; yes, and you also are to bear testimony, 
because you have been with me from the first. I 
have spoken to you in this way so that you may 
not falter. They will expel you from their Syn- 
agogues; indeed the time is coming, when any one 
who kills you will think that he is making an offer- 
ing to God. They will do this, because they have 
not learnt to know the father, or even me. But I 
have spoken to you of these things, that when the 
time for them comes, you may remember that I 
told you about them myself. I did not tell you all 
this at first, because I was with you. Now, how- 
ever, I am returning to Him, who sent me; and 
yet not one of you asks me where I am going, 
although your hearts are full of sorrow at all that 
I have been saying to you. Yet I am only telling 
you the truth." 

4. Mission of the "It is for your good that I am 

Helper going away. Otherwise the 

Helper will never come to 



250 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

you, but if I leave you, I will send Him to you. 
And He, when He comes, will bring conviction to 
the World about Sin, and about Righteousness, 
and about Judgment; about Sin, as proved by men 
not believing in me; about Righteousness, by my 
going to the Father, and your not seeing me 
any longer; about Judgment, as proved by the 
judgment passed on the spirit that rules this 
World. I have still much to say to you, but you 
cannot bear it at present. But when He — the 
Spirit of Truth — comes, He will guide you into 
the whole Truth ; for He will not speak on His 
own authority, but will speak all that He learns; 
and He will tell you of the things that are coming. 
He will honor me, because He will take of 
what is mine, and will tell it to you. Everything 
that the Father has is mine; that is why I say 
that He takes of what is mine, and will tell it to 
you." 

5. Jesus An- < 'In a little while you will no 
nounces His longer see me; and then in a 
Departure little while you will see me 
indeed." 
At this some of His disciples said to one another: 
"What does He mean by saying to us, 'In a little 
while you will no longer see me, and then in a 
little while you will see me indeed', and by saying, 
' Because I am going to the Father'? What does 
He mean by, 'In a little while' ? " they kept say- 
ing, "we do not know what He is talking about". 
Jesus noticed that they were wanting to ask Him 
a question, and said: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 251 

"Are you trying to find out from one another 
what I meant by saying, 'In a little while you will 
no longer see me; and then in a little while you 
will see me indeed'? Believe me, you will weep 
and mourn, but the World will be happy; you will 
be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to happi- 
ness. A woman in labor is sorry that her time 
has come; but no sooner is the child born, than 
she forgets her trouble in her happiness that 
another life has been brought into the World, 
You, in the same way, are sorry now; but I will 
see you again, and you?' hearts will be happy, and 
no one will rob you of your happiness. And at 
that time you will not ask any questions of me; 
believe me if you ask the Father for anything, He 
will grant it to you as my followers. So far, you 
have not asked anything as my followers; ask, 
and you shall have, so that your happiness may 
be complete." 



CHAPTER LIIL 

1. Words of "I have spoken to you of all 

Farewell this in a figurative language; 
a time is coming, however, 
when I shall no longer speak to you in such lan- 
guage, but will tell you about the Father in plain 
words. You will ask, at that time, as my follow- 
ers; and I do not say that I will intercede with the 
Father for you; for the Father loves you himself, 
because you have loved me, and have believed 
that I came from beside the Father, I did come 
out from the Father, and have come into the 
World; and further, I am leaving the World, and 
going to the Father". 

"Now," exclaimed the disciples, "you are using 
plain words, and not speaking figuratively at all. 
Now we are sure that you know everything, and 
need not wait for any one to question you. This 
makes us believe that you came from God." 

"Do you believe that already?" Jesus answered. 
"Listen! a time is coming — indeed it has already 
come — when you are to be scattered, each one 
going his own way, leaving me alone; and yet I 
am not alone, because the Father is with me. I 
have spoken to you in this way, so that in me you 
may find peace. In the World you will find 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 253 

trouble; yet take courage! I have conquered the 
World". 

2. Jesus Prays After speaking thus, Jesus 
for Himself raised His eyes heavenwards, 

and said: 
"Father, the time has come; honor thy Son, so 
that thy Son may honor Thee. Thou gavest 
Him power over all mankind, so that He should 
give enduring Life to all those whom thou hast 
given Him. And this enduring Life is to know thee 
as the only true God, and thy Messenger, Jesus, 
as the Christ. I have honored thee on the Earth 
by completing the work thou hast given me to do; 
and now, do thou honor me, Father, at thy own 
side, with the honor I had beside thee before the 
World began.' ' 

3. Jesus Prays "I have revealed thee to the 
for His Disciples men whom thou gavest me 

from the World; they were 
thy own, and thou gavest them to me; and they 
have laid thy Message to heart. They recognize 
now that everything that thou gavest me was from 
thee; for I have given them the teaching which 
thou gavest me, and they received it, and clearly 
understood that it was from beside thee that I 
came, and they believed that I was thy Messenger. 
I intercede for them; I am not interceding for the 
World, but for those whom thou hast given me, 
for they are thy own — as indeed all that is mine is 
thine, and all that is thine is mine — and I am 
honored in them. Now I am in this World no 
longer, but they are still in it, and I am coming to 



254 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

be with thee. Holy Father, keep them in the 
knowledge of thyself which thou hast given me, 
so that they may be one, as we are. While with 
them I kept them in that knowledge, and I have 
protected them; and not one of them has been lost, 
except the one who was sure to be lost— in fullill- 
ment of the Scripture. But now I am coming to 
be with thee; and I am speaking thus while still in 
the World, su that they may have my own happi- 
ness, in all its fullness, in their hearts. I have 
given them thy Message; and the World hated 
them, because they do not belong to it any more 
than I. I do not ask thee to take them out of the 
World, but keep them away from Evil. They do 
not belong to the World any more than I. Make 
them devoted to the Truth; the Message thou 
sendest is Truth. Just as I am thy Messenger to 
the World, so they are my Messengers to it. And 
it is for their sakes that I am devoting myself, so 
that they also may be truly devoted." 

4. Jesus Prays "But it is not only for them 
for His future that I am interceding, but also 
Disciples for those who may become 
believers, through their teach- 
ing, in me; that they all may be one — that just as 
thou, Father, art in union with me and I with 
thee, so they may also be in union with us — and so 
the World may believe that I am thy Messenger. 
I have given them the honor which thou hast 
given me, that they may be one just as we are — 
I in union with them and thou with me — that so 
they may be perfectly one, and thus the World 
may know that I was thy Messenger, and that 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 255 

thou hast loved them just as thou hast loved 
me. Father, my desire is that all those 
whom thou hast given me may be with me 
where I shall be, so that they may see the honor 
which thou hast given me; for thou didst love me 
before the beginning of the world. O righteous 
Father, though the World did not know thee. I 
knew thee; and these men knew me to be thy 
Messenger. I have made thee known to them, 
and will do so still; so that such love as thou hast 
to me may be in their hearts as I will myself be. " 

5. The End at Then He said to them all: 

Hand "When I sent you out with- 

out either purse, or shoes, or 
bag, did you come short of anything? " 

"No; nothing", they answered. 

"Now, however", He said, "those who have 
purses must take them, and so with their bags: 
and those who have not must sell their cloaks and 
buy swords. For, I tell you, that passage of 
Scripture must be fulfilled in me, which says — 
i He ivas counted as one of the godless;' indeed all 
that refers to me is finding its fulfillment. " 

"Master," they exclaimed, "look, we have a 
couple of swords here! " 

"Enough! enough! " said Jesus. "Come, let us 
be going. " 



CHAPTER LIV. 

1. Agony in Then they sang a hymn, and 
Gethsemane went out on to the Mount of 
Olives, over the brook Kidron, 
and came to a garden called Gethsemane. 

"Sit down here," He said to His disciples, 
"while I go and pray yonder." 
Taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebe- 
diah, He began to show sadness and deep distress 
of mind. 

U I am sad at heart", He said, "sad even to death; 
stay here, and watch with me." 
Going on a little further, about a stone's throw, 
He threw Himself on His face, in prayer: 

"My Father, all things are possible to thee, if 
possible, let me escape this cup; only, not as I wish 
but as thou wishest." 

Then He came to His disciples, and found them 
asleep. 

"What! " He said to Peter, "had none of you 
strength to watch with me for a single hour? 
Watch and pray, so that you may not fall into 
temptation. True, the spirit is eager, but human 
nature is weak." 
Again a second time, Jesus went away, and prayed. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 257 

"My Father," He said, "if I cannot escape this 
cup without drinking it, thy will be done! " 
Then He arose from praying, and came to the dis- 
ciples and found them sleeping from very sorrow. 

"Why are you asleep?" He asked them. "Get 
up and pray that you may not fall into tempta- 
tion." 

So He left them, and went away again, and prayed 
a third time, again using the same words. Pres- 
ently there appeared an angel from Heaven, who 
strengthened Him. And as His anguish became 
intense, He prayed still more earnestly, while His 
sweat was like great drops of blood falling on the 
ground. Then He came to the disciples, and said: 

"Sleep on now, and rest yourselves. Listen! " 
He exclaimed, "my time is close at hand, and the 
Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of 
wicked men. Get up, and let us be going. Look! 
my betrayer is close at hand." 

2. The He had hardly as much as said 

Betrayal the words when Judas, who 
was one of the Twelve, came 
up, for the place was well known to the betrayer, 
for Jesus and His disciples bad often met there. 
With him was a crowd of people with swords and 
staffs, from the Chief Priests, Rabbis, and Coun- 
cillors, and he had also obtained the soldiers of 
the Roman garrison, and they came there with 
lanterns and torches. Jesus aware of all that was 
coming upon Him, went to them, and said: 
"Who is it that you are looking for? " 
"Jesus of Nazareth", was their answer. 
"£ am He", said Jesus. When Jesus said, 'I am 

(IT) 



258 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

He', they drew back and fell to the ground. So 
He again asked who they were looking for, and 
they answered: 

"Jesus of Nazareth." 

"I have already told you that I am He" Jesus 
replied, ' 'so if you are looking for me allow these 
men to go". This was in fulfillment of His words, 
'Of those whom thou hast given me I have not lost 
one'. Seeing what was about to follow, those with 
Him said : 

''Shall we smite with the sword? " At this, 
Simon Peter, having a sword with him, drew it, 
and aimed a blow at the High Priest's servant, and 
struck off his right ear. The servant's name was 
Malchus. Jesus, however, said to Peter: 

"Sheathe your sword. Shall I not drink the 
cup which the Father has given me? " Then Jesus 
said: 

"Let me at least do this" and touching the 
servant's ear He healed the wound. Jesus further- 
more said: 

"All who use the sword will be put to the sword. 
Do you suppose that I cannot ask my Father for 
help, when He would at once send to my aid more 
than twelve legions of angels? But if I did, how 
would the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that 
these things must happen as they are doing? " 
Jesus at the same time said to the Chief Priests, 
Rabbis, Councillors, Pharisees and Rulers of the 
Temple among the crowds: 

"Have you come out with swords and staffs to 
arrest me as if I were a robber? I have sat teach- 
ing day after day in the Temple Courts, and yet 



TEE LIFE SUPREME. 259 

you did not take me prisoner. But now your time 
has come, and the power of Darkness. This has 
all occurred in fulfillment of the Prophetic Script- 
ures". Now the betrayer had arranged a signal 
with them. 

"The man that I kiss", he had said, "will be the 
one; take him prisoner". So he went up to Jesus 
at once, and exclaimed: 

"I am gJad to see you, Rabbi! " and kissed Him; 
on which Jesus said to him: 

"Judas is it by a kiss that you betray the Son of 
Man? But my friend, do what you have come 
for." 

Thereupon the Jewish officers and the men went 
up, seized Jesus, and took Him prisoner. And 
after that all the disciples forsook Jesus and took 
to flight. 

3. Jesus A young man did indeed fol- 

Followed by a low Him, wrapped in a linen 

Young Man sheet. They tried to take 

him prisoner; but the young 

man left the sheet in their hands, and ran away 

without it. 



CHAPTER LV. 

1. Jesus They took Jesus first of all to 

Examined by Annas. Annas was the 

Annas father-in-law of Caiaphas, who 

was High Priest that year. 
It was Caiaphas who had counselled the Jews, 
that it was for their advantage that one man should 
die for the people. The High Priest questioned 
Jesus about His disciples and about His teaching. 

"For my part", Jesus answered, "I have spoken 
to all the World openly. I always taught in some 
Synagogue, or in the Temple Courts, places where 
all the Jews assemble, and I never spoke of any- 
thing in secret. Why put these questions to me? 
Question those who have listened to me as to what 
I have spoken about to them. They must know 
what I said". 

When Jesus said this, one of the constables, who 
was standing near, gave Him a blow with his 
hand. 

"Do you answer the High Priest like that?" 
he exclaimed. 

"If I said anything wrong, give evidence about 
it", Jesus replied; "but if not, why do you strike 
me?" 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 261 

Annas sent Him in chains to Caiaphas the High 
Priest. 

2. Trial of Jesus Then they took Jesus to the 

Before the High High Priest. Meanwhile the 

Priest Chief Priests and the whole 

of the High Council were trying 

to get evidence against Jesus to warrant His being 

put to death, but they could not do so for though 

there were many who gave false evidence against 

Him, yet their evidence did not agree. Presently 

some men stood up, and gave this false evidence 

against Him — 

1 'We ourselves heard Him say, 'I will myself 
destroy this Temple made with hands, and, in 
three days' time build another made ■ without 
hands'". 

Yet not even on that point did their evidence agree. 
Then the High Priest stood forward, and ques- 
tioned Jesus. 

"Have you no answer to make? " he asked. 
"What have you to say to the evidence which 
these men are giving against you? " 
But Jesus remained silent and made no answer. 
At this point the Chief Priests and Rabbis broke 
in, saying: 

"Tell us, if you are the Christ. " But He an- 
swered them: 

"If I do tell you, you will not believe me; and 
if I ask you will not answer. ' ' A second time the 
High Priest proceeded to question Him. 

"Upon your oath, and before the Living God, 
tell us whether you are the Christ, the Son of 
God." 



262 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

. "I am", Jesus answered, "and you will all see 
the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Al- 
mighty; and coming in the clouds of the sky". Upon 
that the High Priest tore his clothes. 

"What blasphemy! Why do you want any more 
witnesses? " he asked. "You have actually heard 
His blasphemy now. What is your decision? " 

''He deserves death," they replied. 

3. Peter Meanwhile Simon Peter had 

Disowns Jesus followed Jesus to see how it 
would end, and so did another 
disciple. That disciple, being well-known to the 
High Priest, went with Jesus into the High Priest's 
court- yard, while Peter stood outside by the door. 
Presently the other disciple — the one weJl-known 
by the High Priest — went out and spoke to the 
portress, and brought Peter in. But when the 
servants and constables had lit a charcoal fire, 
because it was cold, in the centre of the court- 
yard and had all sat down there, Peter seated him- 
self in the middle of them. Presently a maidser- 
vant saw him sitting near the blaze of the fire. 
Fixing her eyes on him, she said: 

"Why, this man w T as one of His companions!" 
But Peter denied it before them all. 

"I do not know Him, woman" he replied. A 
little while afterwards, when he had gone out into 
the gateway, some one else — a man — saw him and 
said: 

"Why, you are one of them, you were with 
Jesus of Nazareth! " But Peter said with an oath: 

"No, man, I am not." And a cock crowed. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 263 

About an hour later the by-standers came up and 
said: 

"This man, too, was undoubtedly with Him. 
Why, he is a Galilean! " One of the High Priest's 
servants, a relation of the man whose ear Peter 
had struck off, asked Peter: 

"Did I not myself see you with Him in the 
garden? Your very way of speaking proves it." 
Then Peter began to swear, with most solemn 
imprecations: 

"I do not know the man. I do not know 
what you are speaking about! " 
Instantly, while he was actually speaking, a cock 
crowed. And the Master turned and looked at 
Peter; and Peter recollected the words that the 
Master had said to him — 'Before a cock has crowed 
twice to-day, you will disown me three times'; and 
he went outside and shed bitter tears. 

4. Jesus Then, when the High Council 

Mocked by had said, 'He deserves death', 
His Captors the men that held Jesus kept 
making sport of Him and be- 
laboring Him. They spat in His face, they blind- 
folded Him, and then struck Him on the head, 
while others dealt blows at Him, saying as they 
did so: 

"Now play the Prophet for us, you Christ! 
Who was it that struck you? " And they said 
many other vile things to Him. 



CHAPTER LVI. 

1. Trial of Jesus At day break all the Chief 
Before the Roman Priests and Councillors of the 
Governor Nation, having had a consul- 
tation about Jesus, to see how 
they could secure His death, put Him in chains, 
then they all rose in a body and led Jesus before 
Pilate, the Roman Governor. But they did not 
enter the Government House themselves — to avoid 
becoming 'defiled' and so be unable to eat the 
Passover. So Pilate came outside to speak to 
them. 

"What charge do you bring against this man? " 
he asked. 

"If he had not been a criminal, we should not 
have handed him over to you," they answered. 

"Take him yourselves," said Pilate, "and try 
him by your own law. " 

"We have no power to put anyone to death," 
the Jews replied — in fulfillment of what Jesus said 
when alluding to the kind of death He was going 
to die. Here they began to accuse Him: 

"This is a man whom we found misleading our 
people, by making difficulties about their paying 
taxes to the Emperor, and by declaring that He 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 265 

himself is 'Christ, a King.' " Upon this Pilate 
questioned Jesus: 

"Have you no reply to make? " he asked. "Lis- 
ten how many charges they are making against 
you." 

Jesus, however, still made no reply at all; at 
which Pilate was greatly astonished. After that 
Pilate went into the Government House again, 
and calling Jesus, asked Him: 

"Are you King of the Jews? " 

"Is that a suggestion of your own? " Jesus re- 
plied, "or have other people said that to you 
about me? " 

"Do you take me for a Jew? " was Pilate's an- 
swer. * 'It is your own nation and the Chief Priests 
who have handed you over to me. What is it 
that you have done? " 

"My Kingdom is not of the World's Kingdoms", 
Jesus replied. "If it had been so my servants 
would have been fighting hard to prevent my being 
handed over to the Jews, but, as it is, my King- 
dom is nothing of the kind. " 

"So you are a King after all! " Pilate exclaimed. 

"Yes, I am a King, as you say, " Jesus answered. 
"I was born for this, I have come into the World 
for this — to bear testimony to the Truth. Every 
one who is on the side of Truth listens to my 
voice." 

"Truth! what is that? " exclaimed Pilate. 

2. Pilate Speaks After saying this, he went 
to the Jews out to the Jews again, and 
said: 



266 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

u For ray part I find nothing with which He can 
be charged; so, I will have him flogged and then 
release him." 
But they insisted: 

' 'He is stirring up the people by His teaching 
all through Judaea, starting from Galilee and 
coming even here." 

Hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Gal- 
ilean; and having satisfied himself that Jesus 
came under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent Him to 
Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at the time. 

3. Jesus Before When Herod saw Jesus he 

Herod was delighted, for he had 

been wanting to see Him for 
a long time, having heard all about Him, and he was 
in hopes of seeing some sign given by Him. So 
he questioned Jesus at some length, but Jesus 
made no reply. Meanwhile the Chief Priests and 
Rabbis stood by and vehemently accused Jesus. 
And Herod, and his soldiers as well, treated Jesus 
with scorn, mocking Him by putting gorgeous 
clothes on Him, and then sent Him back to Pilate. 
This led to Herod and Pilate becoming friends again 
that very day, for before that there had been ill- 
will between them. 

4. Pilate Seeks It was the custom for Pilate 
to Free Jesus to release one man at the 

Passover Festival, so when 

the people had again collected, Pilate said to them: 

"Which do you wish me to release for you? 

Barabbas? or Jesus, the King of the Jews, whom 

people are calling 'Christ' ? " He knew that it was 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 267 

out of jealousy that Jesus had been handed over 
to him. ( Barabbas was a man who had been put 
in prison for a riot that had broken out in the city 
and for murder.) The Chief Priests, and the 
Councillors, however persuaded the crowds to ask 
for Barabbas, and to get Jesus made away with. 
But the Governor's reply was: 

"Which of these two do you want me to release 
for you? "■ 

"Barabbas", they answered. 

"What then," Pilate asked, "shall I do with 
Jesus whom people are calling 'Christ' ? " 

"Let Him be crucified," they all replied. 

"Why, what harm has he done? " he asked. 
However they kept shouting furiously: 

"Let Him be CruciQed!" 

5. Jesus After that, Pilate took Jesus 
is Flogged and had Him flogged. The 

Governor's soldiers took Him 
with them into the Government House, and got 
the whole regiment round Him. They stripped 
Him, and dressed Him in a purple military cloak, 
and then made a crown with some thorns and 
placed it on His head. They put a cane in His 
right hand, and then going down on their knees 
before Him. mocked at Him: 

"Long live the King of the Jews! " they said. 
They spat at Him, and then, taking the cane, kept 
striking Him on the head. 

6. Jesus is Pilate again came outside, 
Brought Outside and said to the people: 

' 'Look I am bringing Him 



268 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

out to you, so that you may know that I find 
nothing with which He can be charged." 
So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of 
thorns and the purple robe; and Pilate said to them: 

•'Look, here is the man! " 
When the Chief Priests and constables saw Him, 
they shouted: 

"Crucify Him! Crucify HIM! 

"Take Him yourselves and crucify Him," said 
Pilate. 

* 'We, " the Jews replied, ' 'have a Law, under 
which He deserves death for making himself out 
to be the Son of God! " 

When Pilate heard what they said he became still 
more alarmed; and going into the Government 
House again, he said to Jesus: 

"Where do you come from? " 
But Jesus made no reply. So Pilate said to Him: 

"Do you refuse to speak to me? Do not you 
know that I have power to release you, and have 
power to crucify you? " 

"You would have no power over me at all, " an- 
swered Jesus, "if it had not been given you from 
above; and for that reason the man who handed 
me over to you has the greater sin to answer 
for. " 

After that, Pilate was anxious to release Him; but 
the Jews shouted: 

"If you release that man, you are no friend of 
the Emperor's! Anyone who makes himself out 
to be a King is setting himself against the Em- 
peror." 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 269 

7. Jesus Before On hearing what they said, 
Pilate on the Pilate brought Jesus oat, and 
Bench. took his seat on the Bench at 

a place called 'The Stone 
Pavement', in Hebrew 'Gabbatha'. It was the 
Passover Preparation Day and it was about noon. 
So Pilate summoned the Chief Priests and lead- 
ing men and the people and said to them: 

' 'You brought this man before me charged with 
misleading the people; and yet, for my part, 
though I have examined Him before you, I have 
failed to find this man to blame for any of the 
things of which you accuse Him; nor has Herod 
succeeded either; he has sent Him back to us, as 
you see. And as a fact He has not done anything 
deserving death." 
They however shouted: 

"Kill Him! Kill Him! Crucify Him!" 

"Why, what harm has He done?" Pilate said 
to them for the third time. "I have found noth- 
ing in Him for which He could be condemned to 
death." 
Then he said to the Jews: 

"Look, here is your King! " However, in their 
clamor, they shouted persistently and furiously: 

"Crucify Him!" 
Pilate exclaimed, wanting to release Jesus, 

"Am I to crucify your King? " 

"We have no king but the Emperor", the Chief 
Priests replied. 

When Pilate saw that his efforts were of no use, 
but that on the contrary that a riot was beginning, 
he took some water, and washed his hands in the 
sight of the crowd, saying as he did so: 



270 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

'•I am not answerable for this bloodshed; you 
must see to it yourselves." 
And to this the whole of the people answered: 

"His blood be on our heads and our children's! " 
While he was still on the Bench his wife sent him 
this message: 

"Do not have anything to do with that good 
man, for I have been very unhappy today in a 
dream on account of Him. " 

But Pilate's decision was that their demand should 
be granted. He released the man who had been 
put in prison for riot and murder, as they demanded, 
while as for Jesus, he handed Him over to be 
crucified. 

8. The End Then Judas, who had betrayed 

of Judas Him, seeing that Jesus was 
condemned, was sorry for 
what he had done, and returned the thirty pieces 
of silver to the Chief Priests and Councillors, say- 
ing as he did so: 

"I have done wrong in betraying a good man to 
his death". 

"What has that to do with us?" they replied. 
"You must see to that yourself." 
Judas flung down the pieces of silver in the Tem- 
ple and left; and went and hanged himself. The 
Chief Priests took the pieces of silver, but they 
said: 

"We must not put them into the Temple treas- 
ury, because they are blood-money." 
So, after a consultation, they bought with them 
the 'Potter's Field' for a burial-ground for Strang- 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 271 

ers; and that is why that field is called 'Blood- 
Field' to this very day. Then it was that these 
words spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah were ful- 
filled:— 

' They took the thirty pieces of silver, 
The price of Him who was valued, 
Whom some of the people of Israel valued, 
And gave them for the Potter's field, 
As the Lord commanded me. ' 



CHAPTER LVIL 

1. Jesus When the soldiers had done 
led out mocking at Jesus they took 

the military cloak off, and put 
his own clothes on Him, and then led Him away 
for crucifixion. Jesus went out carrying the cross 
for Himself. Just as they were on their way out, 
they compel a passer-by — Simeon from Cyrene — 
the father of Alexander and Rufus — who was on 
his way in from the country — to go with them to 
carry the cross. 

2. Women Weep There was a great crowd of 

for Jesus people following Him, many 
being women beating their 
breasts and wailing for Him. So Jesus turning 
said to them : 

"Women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me but 
weep for yourselves and for your children. A 
time, I tell you is coming, when it will be said — 
'Happy are the women who are barren, and those 
who have never borne children and nursed them! ' 
At that time people will begin to say to the moun- 
tains, 'Fall on us\ and to the hills, ' Governs 1 . If 
what you see is done while the wood is green, 
what will happen when it is dry? " 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 273 

3. The There were others also, two 
Crucifixion criminals, led out with Jesus 

to be executed. They brought 
Jesus to Golgotha, a name which means 'Skull'. 
Here they gave Him some wine to drink which had 
been mixed with gall; but after tasting it, Jesus 
refused to drink it; and they crucified Him and the 
criminals, one on the right and one on the left. 
Then Jesus said: 

"Father forgive them, they do not know what 
they are doing. " 

4. The Pilate had a notice, too, writ- 
Superscription ten, and put up over the cross. 

It ran — 

'JESUS OF NAZARETH, 

THE KING OF. THE JEWS.' 

This notice was read by many of the Jews, because 
the part of the city where Jesus was crucified was 
near by; and the notice was written in Hebrew, 
in Latin and in Greek. So the Jewish Chief 
Priests said to Pilate: 

"Do not write 'The King of the Jews', but write 
what the man said — 'I am King of the Jews'. 
But Pilate answered: 

"What I have written, I have written". 

5. Soldiers When the soldiers had cruci- 
Divide Jesus' fied Jesus, at twelve o'clock in 

Clothes the morning, they took His 

clothes and divided them into 

four shares — a share for each Soldier — and they 

(18) 



274 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

took the coat too. The coat had no seam, being 
woven in one piece from top to bottom. So they 
said to one another ■ 

"Do not let us tear it, but let us draw for it, to 
settle whose it is to be". This was in fulfillment 
of the words of Scripture — 

''They shared my clothes among them, 
And over my clothing they cast lots'. 
This is what the soldiers did. Then they sat 
down, and kept watch over Him there.. 

6, Jesus Meanwhile, near the cross of 
Cares for Jesus were standing His 

His Mother mother and His mother's 

sister, as well as Mary the 

wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When 

Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple who was very 

dear to Him, standing near, He said to His Mother: 

"There is your son". 
Then He said to that disciple: 

"There is your mother". 
And from that time that disciple took her to live 
with him. 

7. Jesus The passersby kept jeering 
Mocked at Jesus, shaking their heads 

on the Cross as they said : 

"You who can 'Destroy the 
Temple and build oue in three days, ' save your- 
self! If you are the Son of God come down from 
the cross! " 

Even the Chief Priests did so; they kept saying 
in mockery, while the Rabbis and Councillors 
joined in: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 275 

"He has saved others, but cannot save himself ! 
He is the 'King of Israel'! Let Him come down 
from the cross now and we will believe in Him. 
He lias trusted in God; if God wants Him, let Him 
save Him now; for He said, 'I am the Son of God' ". 

8. The Penitent One of the criminals who were 
Criminal hanging beside Jesus, abused 

Him: 

"Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and 
us". 
But the other rebuked him. 

"Have you not", he said, "any fear of God, now 
that you are under the same sentence? We justly 
so, for we are only reaping our deserts, but this 
man has not done anything wrong. Jesus," he 
went on, "do not forget me when you come into 
your Kingdom". 

And Jesus answered: 

"I tell you, this very day you shall be with me 
in Paradise." 



CHAPTER LVIII. 

1. The After mid-day a darkness came 
Darkness over all the country, lasting 

till three in the afternoon. 
And about three Jesus called out loudly: 

"Eloi, Eloi, lema sabacthani" — that is to say, 
'0 my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?' 
Some of those standing by heard this, and said: 

"The man is calling for Elijah". But the rest 
said: 

"Wait and let us see if Elijah is coming to save 
Him, and take Him down." 

2. Death of Jesus Afterwards, knowing that 

everything was now finished, 
Jesus said in fulfillment of the words of Scrip- 
ture: 

il I am thirsty." 
There was a bowl standing there full of common 
tvine; so one of them ran immediately, and took a 
sponge soaked in the wine, put it on the end of a 
hyssop-stalk, and held it up to His mouth. When 
Jesus had received the wine, He exclaimed: 

"All is finished! Father, into thy hands I commit 
my spirit". 
And with these words He expired. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 277 

3. Temple Veil Suddenly the Temple curtain 

Rent was torn in two from top to 

bottom, the Earth shook, the 
rocks were torn asunder, the tombs opened, 
and the bodies of many of God's people 
who had fallen asleep rose, and leaving 
their tombs, went, after the resurrection 
of Jesus, into the Holy City, and showed 
themselves to many people. The Roman Captain 
and the men with him who were watching Jesus, 
on seeing the earthquake and all that was hap- 
pening, became greatly alarmed and exclaimed: 

"This must indeed have been the Son of God ! " 
All the people who had collected to see the sight, 
watched what occurred, and then went home beat- 
ing their breasts. The friends of Jesus, who had 
accompanied Him from Galilee and had attended 
on Him, had been standing at a distance looking on 
all this. 

4. Jesus Pierced It was the Preparation Day, 

and so in order to prevent the 
bodies remaining on the crosses during the Sab- 
bath (for that Sabbath was a great day), the Jews 
asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies 
removed. Accordingly the soldiers came and 
broke the legs of the first man, and then those of 
the other who had been crucified with Him; but on 
going up to Jesus, seeing that He was already 
dead, they did not break His legs. One of the 
soldiers, however, pierced His side with a lance, 
and blood and water immediately flowed from it. 
This is the testimony of one who actually saw it, — 
and his testimony is trustworthy, and he knows that 



278 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

he is speaking the truth — and it is given that you 
also may be convinced. For all this took place in ful- 
fillment of the words of Scripture — "Not one of His 
bones shall be broken." And another passage also 
says— "They shall look upon Him whom they pierced" 

5. Burial of Jesus After this, Joseph, a rich man 
of Ramah, a town in Judaea, 
who was a member of the High Council — a man 
of good upright character, (He had not assented 
to the decision and action of the Council), and a 
disciple of Jesus — but a secret one, owing to his 
fear of the Jews — begged Pilate's permission to 
remove the body of Jesus. Pilate, however, was 
surprised to hear that He was already dead; so he 
sent for the Officer, and asked him if it was really 
so. On learning the fact from the officer, he 
gave Joseph leave to take the corpse. So Joseph 
went and removed the body. Nicodemus, too — a 
man who had formerly visited Jesus by night — 
came with a roll of myrrh and aloes, weighing nearly 
one hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus, 
and wound it in linen with the spices, according to the 
Jewish way of burial. At the place where Jesus 
had been crucified there was a garden, and in the 
garden a newly made tomb, which Joseph 
had cut in the rock, in which no one had ever 
been laid. And so, because of its being the Prepar- 
ation Day and the Sabbath drawing near, and as 
the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there; 
and before Joseph left, he rolled a stone against 
the entrance of the tomb. Mary of Magdala and 
the other Mary remained behind, sitting in front 
of the grave watching to see where He was laid 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 279 

and then they returned, and prepared spices an$ 
ointments, resting during the Sabbath according 
to the commandment. 

6. Tomb of Jesus The next day — that is, the 

Guarded day following the Preparation 

Day— the Chief Priests and 

the Pharisees came in a body to Pilate, and said: 

"We recollect, Sir, that during His lifetime that 
impostor said 'I shall rise from the grave after 
three days have passed'. Will you therefore order 
the tomb to be made secure till the third day? 
Otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him, 
and then say to the people, 'He has risen from the 
dead', in which case the latest imposture will be 
worse than the first". 

"You have a guard", was Pilate's reply, "go 
and make the tomb as secure as you can". 
So they went and made the tomb secure, by seal- 
ing the stone, in the presence of the guard. 



DIVISION VII. 



The Risen Life. 



CHAPTER LIX. 

1. Women Visit On the first of the Sabbaths, 
Jesus' Grave as the day began to dawn, 
Mary of Magdala, out of whom Jesus 
had driven seven devils, and the other Mary the 
mother of James, and Salome, Johannah, with the 
other women from Galilee, bringing the spices 
which they had prepared, had come to look at the 
grave. They were saying to one another, "Who 
shall roll the stone away from the door of the 
grave for us?" (for it was very large), when 
suddenly a great shock of earthquake oc- 
curred. An angel of the Lord descended from 
Heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, . and 
seated himself upon it. In his appearance he was 
as dazzling as lightning, and his clothing was as 
white as snow; and in their terror of him, the men 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 281 

on guard trembled violently and became uncon- 
scious. But the angel addressing the women said: 
"Do not be afraid," for they were perplexed and 
frightened, bowing their heads to the ground, "I 
know that it is Jesus of Nazareth, who was cruci- 
fied, whom you are looking for. Why are you 
looking among the dead for one who is alive? He 
is not here; for He has risen from the grave, as 
He said He would. Recollect how He spoke to 
you before He left Galilee — how He said that the 
Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of 
wicked men, and be crucified, and would rise from 
the grave on the third day. Come and see the 
place where He was lying; and then go quickly 
and say to His disciples, 'He has risen from the 
dead, and is going to Galilee before you, and there 
you will see Him? Remember I have told you." 
And they went into the tomb and did not find the 
body of Jesus. 

On this they quickly left the tomb in awe and 
great joy, and ran to tell the news to the disciples, 
for they remembered His words. 

2. The Guards While they were still on the 

Bribed to be way, some of the guard came 

Silent into the city, and reported to 

the Chief Priests everything 

that had happened. So they and the Councillors 

met, and after holding a consultation together, 

gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, and 

told them to say that His disciples came in the 

night, and stole Him while they were asleep: 

"And should this matter come before the Gov- 



282 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

ernor," they added, "we will satisfy Him and pre- 
vent your getting into trouble. " 
So the soldiers took the money, and followed their 
instructions. And this story has been current 
among the Jews from that day to this. 

3. Mary Mag- So Mary Magdala came run- 
dala's Message ning to Simon Peter and to 

that other disciple who was 
dear to Jesus, and said to them: 

"They have taken the Master away out of the 
tomb, and we do not know where they have laid 
Him! " 

Upon this, Peter set out with that other disciple — 
to go to the tomb. The two began running to- 
gether, but the other disciple ran faster than 
Peter, and reached the tomb first. Stooping down 
he saw the linen wrappings lying on the ground, 
but did not go inside. Presently Simon Peter 
came following behind him, and went inside the 
tomb. There he preceived the linen wrappings 
lying on the ground, and the cloth which had been 
over Jesus' head, not lying with the wrappings, 
but rolled up on one side separately. Then the 
other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, 
went inside too, and he himself saw and was con- 
vinced. For they were not even then familiar 
with the passage of Scripture which says that 
Jesus had to rise from the dead. The disciples 
then returned to their companions. 

4. Jesus Appears Meanwhile Mary was stand - 
to Mary of Mag- ing close outside the tomb, 

dala sobbing. Still sobbing, she 

leant forward into the tomb 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 283 

and perceived two angels in white sitting there, 
one where the head of Jesus, and the other where 
His feet, had been lying. 

"Why are you sobbing? " asked the angels. 

'•They have taken my Master away," she an- 
swered, "and I do not know where they have laid 
Him." 

After saying this, she turned round, and perceived 
Jesus standing there, but did not know it was He. 

"Why are you weeping? Who is it that you are 
looking for? " He asked her. 
Supposing Him to be the gardener, Mary answered: 

"If it was you, Sir, who carried Him away, tell 
me where you have Jaid Him, and I will take Him 
away myself." 

"Mary!" said Jesus. 
She turned round, and exclaimed in Hebrew: 

"Rabboni! " (or, as we should say, 'Teacher'). 

"Do not touch me", Jesus said; "I have not yet 
gone up to the Father. But go to my Brothers, 
and tell them that I am going up to Him who is 
my Father and their Father, my God and their 
God." 

Mary of Magdala went and told the disciples while 
they were mourning and weeping that she had 
seen the Master, and that He had said this to her. 
Yet they did not believe that He was alive and 
had been seen by her. 

5. Jesus Meets Suddenly, while the other 
the Women on women were on their way from 
the Way the tomb to tell the other dis- 

ciples, Jesus met them. 
"Welcome!" He said. 



284 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

The women went up to Him and clasped His feet, 
bending low before Him. 

"Do not be afraid", Jesus said as tbey did this; 
' 'go and tell my Brothers to set out for Galilee, 
and they will see me there." And they told all 
these things and what the angel had said to the 
Apostles; but what they said seemed to them as 
idle talk, and they did not believe it. 

6. Two Disciples It happened that two of the 
see Jesus at disciples were that very day 
Emmaus walking to a village called 

Emmaus, which was about 
seven miles from Jerusalem, talking together, as 
they went, over all that had just taken place. While 
they were talking these things over and discuss- 
ing them, Jesus Himself came up and joined them 
in their walk; but their eyes were prevented from 
recognizing Him. 

"What is all this that you are saying to each 
other as you are going along? " asked Jesus. 
They stopped, with sad looks on their faces, and 
one of them, whose name was Cleopas, said to 
Jesus: 

"Are you staying by yourself in Jerusalem, 
that you have not heard of the things that have 
happened there in the last few days?" 

"What things do you mean? " Jesus asked. 

"Why about Jesus of Nazareth", they answered, 
"who in the eyes of God and all the people, was a 
Prophet, whose power was felt both in His words 
and actions; and bow the Chief Priests and our lead- 
ing men handed Him over to be sentenced to death, 
and afterwards crucified Him. We, however, were 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 285 

hoping that He was the Coming Deliverer of Israel; 
but for all that, this is now the third day since these 
things occurred. Some women of our number, 
however, have greatly astonished us; they went 
to the tomb at daybreak and found that the body 
of Jesus was not there, and came and told us that 
they had actually seen a vision of angels who told 
them that He was alive. So some of our company 
went to the tomb and found things just as the 
women had said; but they did not see Jesus". 
Then Jesus said to them: 

"How foolish you are, and how slow in accepting 
all that the Prophets have said! Was not the 
Christ bound to undergo all this before entering 
upon His glory?" 

Then beginning with Moses, and going through 
all the Prophets, He explained to them all through 
the Scriptures the passages that referred to him- 
self. When they got near the village to which 
they were walking, Jesus appeared to be going 
further; but they pressed Him not to do so. 

"Stop with us, " they said, "for it is getting 
toward evening and the sun is already low". 
So Jesus went in to stop with them. As soon as 
He had taken His place at table with them, He 
took the loaf of bread and blessed it, and then 
broke it up and handed it to them. Then their 
eyes were opened and they recognized Him; but 
He disappeared from their sight. 

1 'How our hearts glowed", the disciples said to 
each other, "while He was talking to us on the 
road, and when He explained the Scriptures to us." 
Then they got up, and returned without loss of 



286 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

time to Jerusalem, where they found the Eleven 
and their companions all together, who told them 
that the Master had really risen from the grave, 
and had appeared to Simon. So they related what 
had happened on their road, and how they had 
recognized Jesus on His breaking the bread, yet 
some did not believe them. 



CHAPTER LX. 

1. Jesus Appears In the evening of that same 
to Ten Apostles day being the first of the Sab- 
baths, while the doors where 
the disciples were assembled were shut, because 
they feared the Jews, and while they were still 
talking about these things, Jesus came and stood 
among them, ( greeting them with His blessing 
saying: "Peace be unto you.") In their terror 
and alarm they thought they saw a spirit, but 
Jesus said to them: 

"Why are you so agitated? and why do doubts 
arise in your minds? Look at my side, my hands 
and my feet, and you will see that it is I myself. 
Peel me, and look at me, for a spirit has not flesh 
and bones, as you see I have' \ (After saying this 
He showed them His side, His hands and His 
feet.) While they were still unable to believe it 
for very joy, and were wondering if it were true, 
Jesus said to them: 

"Have you anything here to eat? " 
They handed Him a piece of broiled fish, and He 
took it and ate it before their eyes. 

"This is what I told you about", He said, "when 
I was still with you- -that everything that had 



288 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

been written about me in the Law of Moses, the 
Prophets, and the Psalms, had to be fulfilled." 

2. Jesus Explains Then He enabled them to 
to the Apostles understand the Scriptures, and 

their Commission said to them: 

"Scripture says that the 
Christ should suffer in this way, and that He should 
rise from the dead on the third day, and that 
repentance for forgiveness of sins should be pro- 
claimed on His authority to all nations — beginning 
at Jerusalem. You yourselves are to be witnesses 
to all this, for as the Father has sent me so I send 
you. And listen, I am about to send upon you 
that which my Father has promised. Meanwhile, 
remain in the city till you have been invested with 
power from above. For John did truly baptize in 
water but you shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit 
in a few days hence. " 

When He had said this, He breathed on them and 
said: 

"Receive the Holy Spirit; if you forgive any 
one's sins, they are forgiven them; and if you do 
not forgive them, they are not forgiven them". 
But Thomas, one of the Twelve, called 'The Twin,' 
was not with them when Jesus came; so the rest 
of the disciples began telling him that they had 
seen the Master. 

"Unless I see the marks of the nails in His 
hands", he exclaimed, "and put my fingers into 
the marks, and put my hand into His side, I will 
never believe it." 

3. Jesus Appears A week later the disciples 
to the Eleven were again in the house, and 

Apostles Thomas with them. After 

the doors had been shut, Jesus 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 289 

came and stood among them, and gave them His 
blessing. Then He said to Thomas: 

"Place your finger here, and examine my hands; 
and place your hand here, and put it into my side; 
and do not be an unbeliever, but a believer". 
In answer to this Thomas exclaimed: 

"My Master, and my God!" 

"Is it because you have seen me that you have 
believed?" Jesus said. "Happy are those who 
have not seen, and yet have believed! " 

4. Jesus Appears Later on, Jesus showed him- 

to Seven Dis- self again to the disciples. It 
ciples was by the Lake of Tiberias, 

and it came about in this way; 
Simon Peter, Thomas, called 'The Twin', Nath- 
anael of Cana in Galilee, Zebediah's sons, and two 
other disciples of Jesus, were all together, when 
Simon Peter said: 

"I am going fishing". 

"We will come too", said the others. They went 
out and got into the boat, but caught nothing that 
night. Just as day was breaking, Jesus came and 
stood on the bea,ch; but the disciples did not know 
that it was He. 

"My children," He said, "have you any fish?" 

"No," they answered. 

"Cast your net on the right-hand side of the 
boat, " He said, "and you will find some". 
They did so and now they could not haul it in 
on account of the quantity of fish in it. Upon this, 
the disciple who was very dear to Jesus said to 
Peter: 

"It is the Master!" 

(19) 



290 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

When Simon heard that it was the Master, he 
fastened his coat round him ( for he had taken it 
off,) and threw himself into the lake. But the 
rest of the disciples came in the boat (for they 
were only about one hundred yards from the 
shore,) draging the net full of fish. When they 
had come ashore, they found a charcoal fire ready 
laid with some fish on it, and some bread. 

"Bring some of the fish you have just caught", 
said Jesus. So Simon Peter got into the boat and 
hauled the net to shore full of large fish, a hundred 
and fifty- three of them; and yet, though there 
were so many, the net had not been torn. 

"Come and have breakfast", said Jesus. Not 
one of the disciples ventured to ask Him who He 
was, knowing it was the Master. Jesus went and 
took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish 
too. This made the third time that Jesus showed 
Himself to the disciples after He had risen from 
the dead. 

5. Jesus' Last When breakfast was over, 
Words to Peter Jesus said to Simon Peter: 

"Simon, son of John, are 
you more devoted to me than the others? " 

"Yes, Master", he answered, "you know that I 
love you". 

"Feed my lambs," Jesus said. Then a second 
time, Jesus asked: 

"Simon, son of John, are you devoted tome?" 

"Yes, Master", he answered, "you know that I 
love you". 

"Be a shepherd to my sheep", said Jesus. 
Then a third time, Jesus said to him: 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 291 

"Simon, son of John, do you love me? " 
Peter was pained at His third question being 'Do 
you love me? ' ; and exclaimed: 

"Master, you know everything! You can tell 
that I love you". 

"Feed my sheep", said Jesus. "Believe me", 
He continued, "when you were young you used to 
put on your own girdle, and walk wherever you 
wished; but when you have grown old, you will 
have to hold out your hands, while some one else 
will put on your girdle, and take you where you 
do not wish". 

Jesus said this to show the kind of death by which 
Peter was to honor God; after saying it He added: 

"Follow me". Peter turned round, and saw the 
disciple who was very dear to Jesus following — 
the one who leant back on the Master's shoulder 
at the supper, and asked Him who it was that 
would betray Him. Seeing Him Peter said to 
Jesus: 

"Master, what about this man? " 

tk If I should choose that he should wait till I 
come", answered Jesus, "what has that to do with 
you? Follow me yourself." 

Consequently the report spread among the Breth- 
ren that that disciple was not to die; but Jesus did 
not say that he was not to die, but said: 

"If I were to choose that he should wait till I 
come, what has that to do with you? " 



CHAPTER LXL 

1. Jesus The Eleven disciples went to 
Appears to Galilee, to the mountain where 

the Apostles Jesus told them to meet Him; 

and when they saw Him they 

bent low before Him; although some felt doubtful. 

2. Jesus Gives Then Jesus came up, and 
to the Apostles spoke to them thus: 

Their Commis- "All authority in Heaven 
sion and on the Earth has been 

given to me. Therefore go, 
and make disciples of all the natious, baptizing 
them into the Faith ( name) of the Father, tlfe Son, 
and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to lay to 
heart all the commands that I have given you; and, 
remember, I shall myself always be with you until 
the close of the Age. " 

3. Jesus Appears While yet in Galilee, Jesus 
to Five hundred appeared to more than five- 
hundred Brethren at one time; 

of whom the larger number are yet alive, although 
some have died. 

4. Jesus Appears After that He was seen by 

to James James. 



THE LIFE SUPREME. 293 

5. Jesus Ascends After this, Jesus led the 

to Heaven Apostles out from Jerusalem 
nearly as far as Bethany. 
When they had met together, they asked Jesus 
this question — 

"Master, is this the time when you will re- 
establish the Kingdom for Israel? " His answer 
was: 

"It is not for you to know the times or dates 
which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 
but yet you shall receive power, when the Holy 
Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be wit- 
nesses for me not only in Jerusalem, but in the 
whole of Judaea and Samaria, and in all the na- 
tions to the very ends of the Earth." 
Jesus had no sooner said this than He was caught 
up before their very eyes, as He was in the act of 
blessing them, and a cloud received Him, and hid 
Him from their sight, for He had been taken up 
into Heaven and sat on the right hand of God. The 
Apostles were still gazing into the sky, as He was 
going, when they found two men in white stand- 
ing by them, who said: 

"Why are you Galileans standing here with 
your eyes fixed on the sky? This very Jesus, who 
has been taken from you into the sky, will come in 
just the same way as you have seen Him going 
there." 

6. The Apostles And having worshipped Him, 

Return to then the Apostles returned 

Jerusalem with great joy from the hill 

called Olivet to Jerusalem. 



294 THE LIFE SUPREME. 

It was about three quarters of a mile from the 
city. When they arrived there they went to the 
upstairs room, where they were then staying; and 
all of them met regularly for united prayer; and 
were continually in the Temple giving praise and 
blessing God. 

[The Apostle Paul states that, he also saw Jesus 
Christ after His resurrection. This was probably 
on the road to Damascus. — Ed.] 



CONCLUSION 



It is this disciple who testifies to these things, 
and who recorded them; and we know that his tes- 
timony is trustworthy. There are many other 
things that Jesus truly did, and there are many 
other signs of His mission which Jesus gave in the 
presence of His disciples which are not recorded 
in this book. If every one of them were to be re- 
corded in detail, I do not suppose that even the 
World itself would hold the books that would have 
to be written; but these have been recorded that 
you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son 
of God — and that, through your belief, you may 
have Life in the knowledge of Him. 



INDEX. 



Page 

About an Adulteress 140 

About Fasting 74 

About Giving t - • 72 

About Judging Others * • • 76 

About Praying 73 

About the True Treasure 1-2 74 168 

Accidents and Judgments 170 

Account of John's Execution 108 

Agony of Jesus in Gethsemane 256 

Andrew Calls Peter 36 

Angels and Shepherds • • • • 20 

Announcement of the Future Birth of Jesus . . 15 

Apostles in Jerusalem 293 

Attempt to arrest Jesus • • • • 139 

Baptism of Jesus 32 

Baptist's Birth Foretold 13 

Barren Fig Tree , 171 

Beginning of Opposition to Jesus 49 

Betrayal 257 

Birth and. Naming of the Baptist 18 

Birth of Jesus 20 

Blind and Dumb man Cured 86 

Blind Man Cured 124 

Blind Man Further Questioned 149 

Blind Man's Parents Questioned 148 

Blind Man Questioned by the Pharisees 148 

Blindness of Human Wisdom 156 

Boy Jesus in the Temple 28 

Burial of Jesus 278 

Call to Renounce Self 126 

Cares of Life 1-2 75 167 

Cautions to the Disciples 105 



296 INDEX. 

Chief Priests Plot Death of Jesus 1.90 

Children Welcome Jesus 211 

Choice of the Twelve Apostles 66 

Christ the Door 151 

Circumcision of Jesus 21 

Coming of the Kingdom 193 

Conclusion 294 

Cost of Christ's Service 1-2 106 169 

Crucifixion 273 

Cure of an afflicted Woman , 100 

Cure of an Epileptic Boy 128 

Cure of A Cripple in Jerusalem 49 

Cure of Blind Bartimaeus 202 

Cure of A Dropsical Man 176 

Cure of A Dumb Man 1-2 102 160 

Cure of A Mad Man ( Possessed) 1-2 56 98 

Cure of Two Blind Men 203 

Danger of Imperfect Reformation 89 

Deaf Stammerer Healed 120 

Death of Jesus 276 

Desertion of Many Disciples 116 

Directions to the Apostles 104 

Disciples Accused of Breaking the Sabbath ... 63 
Disciples Blamed of Neglecting Ceremonies. . 117 

Disciples Blamed for not Fasting 61 

Disciples' Prayer 1-2 73 159 

Doom of the Towns of Galilee 154 

Duty and Cost of Self-denial 179 

Duty to be Done without Expecting Thanks. . 185 

Elizabeth's Happiness 15 

Encouragement to Prayer 1-2 77 159 

Encouragement of the Seventy-two 155 

Encouragement to the Apostles 105 

Encouragement to the Disciples 165 

Encouragement to United Prayer 134 

End at Hand 255 

End of Judas 270 



INDEX. 297 

Explanation of the Parable of the Sower 92 

Explanation of the Parable of the Tares 95 

Farewell Blessing . . , 246 

Flight into Egypt 27 

Food for 4000 Provided 121 

Fruitless Fig Tree 210 

Further Lesson in Toleration 153 

Genealogy of Jesus Christ 23 

Goes to Jerusalem and Expels Traders 39 

Golden Rule 78 

Good Samaritan . . . . t 157 

Good Shepherd 152 

Great Catch of Fish 55 

Great Darkness 276 

Growth of John 20 

Guards Bribed to be Silent 281 

Heathen Girl Cured 119 

Herod Kills the Children 27 

Herod's Opinion of Jesus 108 

How to Deal with Offenders 134 

Jair's Daughter Restored to Life 101 

Jair's Request 100 

Jesus Accused of Acting by the Help of Satan 86 

Jesus Announces His Departure 250 

Jesus Anointed by a Woman 84 

Jesus Anointed by Mary 206 

Jesus Appears to Eleven Disciples 288 

Jesus Appears to 500 292 

Jesus Appears to James 292 

Jesus Appears to Mary ... 282 

Jesus Appears to Ten Disciples 287 

Jesus Appears to two Disciples in Emmaus . . . 284 

Jesus Appears to the Women 283 

Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples 289 

Jesus Appears to the Apostles 292 

Jesus Ascends 293 

Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles 137 

Jesus at the Foot of the Hill 66 



298 INDEX. 

Jesus at the Rededication Festival 172" 

Jesus Avoids the Pharisees 65 

Jesus Begins Preaching 53 

Jesus Before Herod 266 

Jesus Before Pilate 264 

Jesus Before Pilate on the Bench 269 

Jesus Blamed for His Companions 61 

Jesus Blesses Little children . 197 

Jesus Cares for His Mother 274 

Jesus Closes His Public Ministry 224 

Jesus Comforts His Disciples 244 

Jesus Cures a Man Born Blind 147 

Jesus Cures an Officer's Son 48 

Jesus Defends His Mission and Authority .... 143 

Jesus Denounces the Pharisees 1-2 163 221 

Jesus Dines with a Pharisee 176 

Jesus Enters Capernaum 55 

Jesus Enters Jerusalem 208 

Jesus Examined by Annas 260 

Jesus Explains His Divine Mission 50 

Jesus Explains His Work 46 

Jesus Explains to the Apostles their Commis- 
sion 288 

Jesus Followed by a Young Man 259 

Jesus Foretells His Death 125 

Jesus Foretells His Death Second Time 130 

Jesus Foretells His Death Third Time 200 

Jesus Foretells the Destruction of the Temple 227 
Jesus Foretells the Destruction of Jerusalem . . 229 

Jesus Foretells the End of the Age 230 

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecutions ........ 228 

Jesus Gives the Apostles their Commission . . . 292 

Jesus Heals Ten Lepers 192 

Jesus Hears of the Illness of Lazarus 187 

Jesus in Capernaum 55 

Jesus is Flogged 267 

Jesus is Brought Outside 267 

Jesus in Nazareth 103 

Jesus Laments the Fate of Jerusalem 223 

Jesus' Last Words to Peter 290 



INDEX. 299 

Jesus Led to Crucifixion 272 

Jesus Meets the Women on the Way 283 

Jesus Mocked at on the Cross 274 

Jesus Mocked by His Captors 263 

Jesus Mocked by the Soldiers 267 

Jesus Owned as Christ by Peter 124 

Jesus Pierced 277 

Jesus Points out the Betrayer 241 

Jesus Prays for Himself , . . 253 

Jesus Prays for His Future Disciples 254 

Jesus Prays for the Apostles 253 

Jesus Preaches in Galilee 58 

Jesus Preaches in the Towns 107 

Jesus Promises Another Helper 245 

Jesus Provides Pood for 5,000 Men 110 

Jesus puts a Question about the Christ 218 

Jesus Raises Lazarus to Life . 190 

Jesus Rebukes the Pharisees 184 

Jesus Retires Beyond the Jordan 174 

Jesus Retires to a Lonely Place 58 

Jesus Retires to Ephraim 191 

Jesus Returns to Galilee 53 

Jesus Stays in Capernaum 39 

Jesus Stills a Storm 97 

Jesus Talks with a Samaritan Woman 44 

Jesus Taken Before Caiphas 261 

Jesus Teaches in Nazareth 53 

Jesus the Fountain of Living Waters 139 

Jesus Taunted by His Brothers 136 

Jesus Tells the Blind Man who He is 150 

Jesus the Life-giving Bread 113 

Jesus the Light of the World 142 

Jesus Visits Nazareth 102 

Jesus Walks on the Sea Ill 

Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet 239 

Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem. 209 

Jesus Welcomed back to Galilee 47 

John's Last Testimony to Jesus 42 

John's Message to Jesus 82 

John's Declaration about Jesus to Two Dis- 
ciples 36 



300 INDEX. 

John's Proclamation 30 

John's Public Recognition of Jesus 35 

John's Reply to a Deputation of Priests 34 

Joseph 's Dream 17 

Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus 237 

Leper Cured 59 

Lesson about Money 198 

Lesson in Hospitality for the Host 177 

Lesson in Humility for the Guests 176 

Lesson in Humility 131 

Lesson in Toleration 133 

Lesson from a Lamp 1-2-3 68 94 162 

Lesson to a Selfish Man 166 

Levi Called 61 

Light and Darkness 74 

Lord's Supper 242 

Many Persons Cured 1-2 57 121 

Many Samaritans Believe in Jesus 47 

Man with a Withered Hand Cured 64 

Martha Meets Jesus 188 

Martha Sends Mary to Jesus 189 

Mary Magdala' s Message 282 

Mary's Song 17 

Mary 's Visit to Elizabeth 16 

Message to Herod Antipas 176 

Mission of the Helper 249 

Mission of the Son 42 

Mission of the Seventy-two 154 

Mutual Relations of the Branches * . "248 

Narrow Door 175 

Need of Watchfulness 231 

New and Old Truths 97 

New Commandment 243 

Nicodemus Visits Jesus 40 

Officer's Servant Healed 80 

Old and New Law 69 

On Anger 69 

On Divorce 70 



INDEX 301 

On Impurity 70 

On Love * 72 

On Oaths 71 

On Revenge 71 

Parable of the False Judge 194 

Parable of the Good and Bad Servants 1-2.. 168 232 

Parable of the Invitation Refused 177 

Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard 199 

Parable of the Leaven 94 

Parable of the Lost Coin 180 

Parable of the Lost Sheep 1-2 133 180 

Parable of the Mustard Seed 94 

Parable of the Net 96 

Parable of the Pearl 96 

Parable of the Pharisee and Tax-collector.. . . 194 

Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus 185 

Parable of the Seed Growing Unobserved. ... 97 
Parable of the Servants Entrusted with 

Money 1-2 204 234 

Parable of the Lost Son 181 

Parable of the Sower 91 

Parable of the Steward 183 

Parable of the Tares 93 

Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids 233 

Parable of the Treasure 96 

Parable of the Two Foundations 79 

Parable of the Two Sons 213 

Parable of the Unforgiving Servant 134 

Parable of the Wicked Tenants 213 

Parable of the Marriage Feast . . 215 

Paralyzed Man Cured , 59 

Passover Meal 241 

Passover Nearing . . . . 206 

Penitent Criminal 275 

People Follow Jesus to Capernaum 113 

People Taught and Cured 103 

Persistence in Prayer 1-2 77 159 

Peter's Fall Foretold 243 

Peter Disowns Jesus .... 262 

Peter's Mother-in-law Healed 57 



302 INDEX. 

Pharisees ask About Divorce 195 

Philip and Nathanael Follow Jesus 37 

Pilate Brings Jesus Crowned before the People 267 

Pilate Gives a Choice, Seeking to Free Jesus 266 

Pilate has Jesus Flogged 267 

Pilate Speaks to the Jews 265 

Plot Against Jesus 12-3 64 164 237 

Preparation for the Passover 238 

Presentation of Jesas in the Temple 22 

Priests Question the Authority of Jesus 212 

Principles of the Divine Judgment 235 

Prophetess Hannah 23 

Question about Commandments 1-2 157 218 

Question about Elijah 128 

Question about Rates 130 

Question about Taxes 216 

Question about the Resurrection 217 

Rank Among Christians 239 

Real Disciple of Jesus 68 180 

Reception of Jesus at the Passover. 40 

Relatives of Jesus Interfere 89 

Request of James' and John's Mother 201 

Result of the Ministry 225 

Return of Jesus from Egypt 27 

Return of the Apostles 109 

Return of the Seventy-two 155 

Return to Galilee 53 

Rewards of Self-sacrifice 198 

Rewards of Service 107 

Rich Fool 166 

Rich Man and Beggar 185 

Rich Man Questions Jesus 197 

Second Driving Traders from the Temple. . . . 211 

Sermon on the Mount 67 

Sign Asked 1-2 88 162 

Sign from the Sky Asked 122 

Signs of the Times 170 

Simeon's Character and Song 22 

Simeon Compelled to Carry the Cross 272 



INDEX. 303 

Sin Inward not Outward 118 

Sin of Rejecting Jesus 89 

Sisters of Bethany 158 

Soldiers Divide Jesus' Clothes 273 

Son of the Widow of Nain Raised 81 

Son's Relation to the World 43 

Summary of the Last Teaching 226 

Superscription 273 

Talk of the Blind Man 's Neighbors 147 

Temptation of Jesus 33 

Testimony of Jesus to John 82 

Test of Sincerity 153 

Tomb of Jesus Guarded 279 

Traders Expelled from the Temple Courtsl-2 39 211 

Trial of Jesus Before the High Priests 261 

Trial of Jesus Before the Roman Governor . . . 264 

Transfiguration 126 

True and False Teachers 78 

True Brotherhood 90 

True Treasure 1-2 74 168 

Truly Happy 67 

Truly Unhappy 68 

Two Blind Men Cured 102 

Two Disciples see Jesus at Emmaus 284 

Two Foundations 79 

Two Roads 78 

Urgency for a Prompt Decision 170 

Veil Rent 277 

Vine and Branches 247 

Visit of the Magians 25 

Warning Against Being a Hindrance to Others 131 

Warning Against False Teaching 1-2 123 164 

Warning Against the Rabbis 220 

Watchfulness 168 

Water Made Wine 38 

Why Jesus Used Parables 91 

Widow's Offering 223 

Will He Come 206 

Woman Brings Others to Jesus 46 



304 INDEX. 

Woman Healed on the Sabbath 171 

Woman's Exclamation 88 

Women Announce the Resurrection 282 283 

Women of Jerusalem Weep 272 

Women Visit Jesus' Grave 280 

Women who Ministered to Jesus 86 

Words a Test of Character 88 

Words of Farewell 252 

Zacchaeus the Tax-collector 203 

Zachariah and Elizabeth 13 

Zechariah's Song 19 



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